Views from the sofa: 'Racing is not, and never will be, a team sport'

Intrigue rather than enthusiasm drew me towards watching the opening night of the William Hill Racing League at Newcastle. The weeds in my garden could wait an hour or two.

Yet after enduring a couple of races of this supposedly innovative new concept that would help propel racing forward to sunlit uplands – to borrow a phrase from the UK prime minister – I concluded I'll have the most immaculate garden in Britain by the end of the competition.

I cannot fault the presenting team for their efforts, as excruciating as it was at times to listen to the 'bants', which was no doubt laid on for the imaginary new audience being engaged by the Racing League, and the participants also played the game in championing the night. But as the saying goes, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig – and no amount of gaslighting can change that.