A brave approach by the BHA to outline the bloodstock industry's failings

While the majority of readers will be fairly familiar with the processes involved in bringing a horse to the track and what happens in a race, the earlier stages in an animal's career tend to be something of a mystery to many.

The sales, in particular, are a baffling experience to the uninitiated. A trustworthy ally is required to navigate the old-fashioned terminology, explain an animal's breeding and physique, and to justify exactly why one four-legged beast is worth ten times that of the previous one to have strolled around the ring.

Although efforts are made by the racing and sales industry to simplify the concept of purchasing a horse, it is not like picking out a new car from a brochure, perusing every detail and knowing exactly what the expenditure is before taking it for a spin.