Racing finds itself in a strange position. Too many people who follow the sport still don’t seem to be fully aware of the threat posed to it by the government’s review of gambling legislation; others, including those from outside racing, seem dangerously aware of it.

The potential consequences of some of the proposals in the government’s white paper have been spelled out in these pages over many months, particularly the impact on racing’s income from betting if stringent and intrusive affordability checks are passed into law.

A petition calling for a halt to affordability checks has subsequently been signed by more than 86,000 people, but I fancy we’d be well into six figures if more of those who enjoy watching and betting on racing were taking the current threat to the sport’s future as seriously as it seems those working in financial institutions are.