Quality or quantity: record fixture list relies on all parties pulling together

Do we need a record number of 1,511 meetings in 2019? A knee-jerk reaction in this sweltering climate would be probably not, unless card after card of small-field action is sought after.

That view was shared on a snap Twitter poll conducted by the Racing Post showing around two-thirds of voters of the opinion that quality should take precedence over quantity.

It may be a record amount, but when crunching the numbers the increase in meetings is a modest three compared to this year's programme, although 47 up on five years ago and 171 on 15 years ago.