French initiative will boost progress not prejudice

Once bitten, twice shy. Or at least, that's what we must assume where Sir Anthony McCoy is concerned. His silence over an issue that provoked uproar last week speaks for itself. The man who advocated a weight allowance for female jockeys two years ago has yet to respond to France's initiative to do just that in an effort to elevate their profile.

Nobody should be surprised. McCoy made his suggestion early in his broadcasting career, when he wouldn't have been fully aware of the ramifications. Having been perplexed at the response, he was never going to re-engage in a debate that can accelerate from A to Z without pausing at letters in between.

France's motivation, as outlined by France Galop president Edouard de Rothschild, could not have been clearer. "The point is to create and generate more opportunities for women to ride in races," he told this newspaper. "That will lead to more experience and women reaching a higher standard."