In January 2012 Department of Agriculture inspectors raided Philip Fenton's stables and cured Irish racing of its drug-free delusions by finding banned animal medicines including anabolic steroids. Ensuring industry credibility by provision of a new anti-doping regime has supposedly been a priority almost ever since. That's almost eight years now. Still nothing is in place on the ground. It begs the question as to how much of a priority the fight against drugs actually is.

It was a shock but a very pleasant one when my name was read out as winner of the Dedication to Racing & Breeding category at the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards last week. I was over the moon.