Despite their risks, award schemes are still beloved of PR companies

In public relations, Plan B is vital. The best-laid schemes of spindoctors can gang very aglay unless the negative possibilities have been worked out in advance.

The account team has to establish what they’ll do if there’s fog at the airport, another event of the same kind on the same day, or the compere arrives stewed to the gills on alcohol.

They don’t usually have to consider putatively drug-taking horses.