'Other people look at eyes and ears and fetlocks but for me it's bottoms - it all started with John Francome and it seems as good a system as any'

The Generation Game pairs a Racing Post writer with a group of their own generation to find out how those of different ages view and consume racing. In part one, Peter Thomas joins the 'baby boomers' at Lingfield

The day has not begun well. To kick off our series looking at how different generations view this wonderful sport, I have assembled an elite band of 'senior' racegoers to join me at Lingfield and at 8.30am, barely late enough for All-Bran and Sanatogen to have been taken, I've received a phone call to tell me that one member of my squad has put his back out while gardening and is currently laid up on his sofa.

Now, I know he's a dyed-in-the-wool jumping man and a wet Tuesday on the all-weather might not be his thing, but I'm prepared to believe that the injury is a genuine one, and very much the kind of pitfall one must expect when dealing with the 'Silver Squadron' of the racing public.