Talking Horses: racing, the climate crisis and Ascot embarrassment

The meeting was a letdown but set against the failure to deal with potentially devastating global consequences it was trivial

Fergal O’Brien’s Twitter feed – @OBMRacing – reliably finds a lighter side amid the gloom and it was fast away from the traps again on Saturday afternoon, as racing Twitter reacted to the news that Constitution Hill had been scratched from his comeback race at Ascot. “Is Constitution Hill going to break Twitter,” it asked, “before Elon does?”

Nicky Henderson’s decision to scratch last season’s brilliant Supreme Novice Hurdle winner a couple of hours before the Coral Hurdle provoked a predictably sour reception from many fans on social media. Accusations of undue caution, an obsession with the Festival in March above all else and more general claims that “the game has gone” were flying around like leaves on a stiff autumn breeze.