Garage chit-chat, concern for Rossa Ryan's bottom and memories of Broderick Munro-Wilson - they're all part of the daily routine

It’s still nice to have a real newspaper, made out of paper. So my daily routine starts with a visit to a garage where they sell the Racing Post and where Nick, behind the counter, follows racing. He says he’s looking for a winner but can’t find one.

Then it’s off to a coffee shop for a black Americano (on a diet) and sometimes a sausage roll or a croissant (hard to resist) but never both (on a diet). If Paolo, who runs a hairdressing salon, is there he asks me how the horses are doing (all right) and I ask how the horses are treating him (not too bad).

Before long, after ruing not having backed Steve Palmer’s latest golf selection, I turn to Today’s Trainers. I look to see what Sir Mark Prescott is running, then look to see what Eddie and Patrick Harty are running. Then I may look to see if Nigel Twiston-Davies and Nick Alexander have runners. It’s long been a habit.