I pigged out on Boxing Day and now I'm worrying about racing's strict new Premier diet

The 'protected window' we really need is one that shields us from competing distractions when the racing is on. At this time of year, it should cover a four-hour period from noon, during which time fans of the game would rather not be trammelled up with trivial concerns like work, childcare, household chores or phone calls from those with no racing interest.

If there was some way for the sport to helps its followers in this regard, that would have to become the BHA's number-one priority. I'm imagining a laminated card saying: 'This person has a Saturday afternoon exemption,' which could be flashed at family members asking for the dog to be trimmed or the grass to be walked.

Instead, we each have to fight for our right. "I can't just now, the racing's on," has probably been my most frequently used sentence for the past 40 years. You'd think people would catch on eventually.