Ruby Walsh: The world has changed and sport must do the same if it wants to keep up

The British fixture list needs axing to regenerate itself to what it once was.

Covers protecting betting stands blow away on day one of the Dubai Future Champions Festival at Newmarket yesterday.

On September 9, on RTÉ Racing, I asked Frankie Dettori if this would definitely be his last trip to Leopardstown. He smiled and waved but didn’t answer, and when I laughingly suggested he wouldn’t answer, he just said, “you better tune in”.

I read between the lines, and so did many, but I only asked because the rumour mill was already in full flow about the U-Turn Frankie would make about his retirement, something which he did this week.