I would always rather be a lover than a fighter and it happens I have total faith in the healing powers of doughnuts.

It therefore made my heart sing to read about a completely unexpected meeting which recently took place between senior racing officials and representatives of those confrontational and wrong-headed troublemakers Animal Rising, at which surprisingly friendly words were exchanged over sugary, dough-based snacks. 

Given what happened at Aintree last month, you could hardly pick two groups of people less likely to sit down in the same room and smile at each other right now. This news reminded me of that bit at the end of The Naked Gun when everyone at a baseball game is so moved by Leslie Nielsen’s reconciliation with Priscilla Presley that they turn and hug each other, even players from rival teams who had been engaged in a mass brawl moments before.