The fight against betting restrictions and account closures has a vital new ally

In this first column of the new year, let us begin with our glass half full.

Over the coming days the Racing Post will run three features that make clear the scale of the challenges facing the sport in 2023. There is no doubt they are significant – in some cases that can be ramped up to critical – but where you find problems there are often solutions. If accepted and implemented, these could leave an ailing patient doing somersaults out of the accident and emergency department.

It is also true that recent days delivered some positive numbers – and not only if you happen to be called Willie Mullins.