Alec Hogg’s Inbox: Horseracing attracts Princes and Knaves. The trick is to keep away from the Knaves

A great friend who was deeply invested in the industry (yes Mick, you) once told me that horseracing attracts Princes and Knaves. The trick is to keep away from the Knaves. It's been my privilege to have met some extraordinary people who gravitated to the industry, and to remain in touch with so many of them. As Winston Churchill said: "There's something about the outside of a horse that's good for the inside of a man." So, it's always a joy to receive an email from one of my racing connections, like this one from Nutfield Stud's John Brandtner who wrote:

The quip of Lionel Heath last week referring to a quote he believed was a Russian he is spot on.

It is claimed that the Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky once said: 

"Tolerance will reach such a level that intelligent people will be banned from thinking so as not to offend the imbeciles."

Considering that he lived from 1821 – 1881 it appears that not much has changed since then, other than perhaps the proportion of the one versus the other.

Also, I wholeheartedly support the idea put forth by Almero van Wyk (also last week) to treat Covid vaccinations like insurance. Furthermore, every country imposes speed limits and strict traffic laws and if they are not adhered to the fines and penalties are severe – so, why in this case doesn't the whole word scream infringement of personal freedoms and choice, but we rant about getting vaccinated?

We're indebted to David Thornton for the GIF below which he says makes a good screensaver. David added:

Great interview with GG Alcock. I have also just read the interview with him on lawlessness. He is correct and it fits the belief: " Fix The Broken Windows". It is how Guiliani fixed New York in the eighties. Stop at the stop streets. If people ridicule, let them ridicule. But stop.

And finally today, some insightful questions from Kantilal Roopa who wrote:

If the private sector was to operate the way the public service does (or doesn't) the country would be bankrupt. What is the function of the Finance Department that they have no oversight role, nor any approval process. The Auditor-General keeps highlighting abnormal expenditure but very little effort seems to be used to address the short comings. Why is it that R500bn Covid-19 relief disappeared but not a single journalist is investigating this anomaly?

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