Saturday changes might appeal to an over-caffeinated Pattern-race junkie - but they won't be good for racing

There are always theories kicking around horseracing about what works and what doesn't: 'back the outsider of three', that kind of thing. It's all good fun provided you maintain a healthy scepticism, but there's a danger if they endure that they may one day be adopted as policy for the sport and I worry that may be happening just now.

The concept of a 'protected window' from 2pm to 4pm on a Saturday is what's bothering me. Supposedly, we can please our audience, maximise betting revenue and direct appropriate reverence to our best races by pruning back the number of fixtures taking place in that slot.

It's a thought-provoking theory and there's no question that some of our Saturdays can be hectic if you're trying to take everything in. I can see a case for moving a small number of fixtures. But I wonder if the gains to be made from such a blanket policy can possibly make up for what we're going to lose.