End justifies the means as racing reps leave their mark in corridors of power

Not for the first time, it was Nigella Lawson who inspired me.

Although rightly celebrated for her work on television, Lawson is also an exquisite writer. That was once again obvious when reading her latest book, 'Cook, Eat, Repeat', which has a section on bread that begins: "In life, there can be no pleasure without pain." The sentence is a thing of beauty, as is the "old-fashioned sandwich loaf" that follows a few pages later.

Anyone who bakes bread gets regular chances to marvel at the magic of yeast. Lawson's loaf initially requires only three short stints of kneading, separated by ten-minute intervals, during each of which the dough rises. You cannot physically see the yeast metabolising the flour's starches and sugars but you certainly do see the end result. This is broadly similar to racing's dealings with government.