Douvan, Sizing John and others will be a wonderful sight this weekend - and show welcome progress on retired racehorses

What happens to racehorses when they stop being racehorses? That's a question sometimes asked by friends or acquaintances who have little or no interest in the sport. 

No doubt reflective of evolving societal attitudes to animal welfare in general, I've been quizzed about the perceived 'cruelty' of racing more frequently of late. A benign-sounding query about retired horses often comes with an agenda and is effectively a question about the morality of the sport and industry.

I wasn't prepared the first time and was conscious that my waffle about racehorses in general being loved, cherished and scrupulously looked after by skilled and devoted animal lovers wasn't actually answering the question.