Grangee escapade welcome but VAT costs exorbitant and Cotswolds clock is ticking

It might be a naive perspective, but it is worth taking a moment to focus on the positives in this first intrepid equine escapade between two countries so geographically close but inexplicably prised further apart by Brexit.

The positive, in short, is that the journey is happening. Despite the reams of red tape and exorbitant extra cost, Grangee is being shipped to Market Rasen for a race on Saturday from Willie Mullins' County Carlow base.

Sure, given the added obstacles presented by the pandemic restrictions, the floodgates might not open hereafter, but hopefully it will illustrate that this can be done.