Savill plan has its merits but naive to think it will be adopted in full

Cabinet ministers Priti Patel and Ben Wallace were pictured at Goodwood last Tuesday, a day at the races perhaps providing a distraction from the bruising Conservative leadership contest.

The following day the equally bruising world of racing politics threatened to distract a little from the action at Goodwood where Baaeed was set to defend his unbeaten record in the Sussex Stakes.

Racing and politics share a fondness for leaking things, something Peter Savill – who was not unfamiliar with bruising encounters during his time as BHB chairman – was fearful of as the informal group he had organised prepared to outline proposals to tackle British racing's big issues to the BHA.