Shark Hanlon and Alphonse Le Grande cases show the folly of playing to the gallery of public opinion

Two major current talking points in British and Irish racing, the Shark Hanlon disciplinary case in Ireland and the fiasco surrounding last Saturday's Cesarewitch, have elements in common.

The origin of both controversies can be traced to a philosophy embraced by the respective authorities in Britain and Ireland to prioritise external perception of the sport.

There has been much comment on social media about the two issues, attracting polarised views all too typical of contemporary public discourse. Much of what I've read has been depressing, containing a lack of nuance, extreme views on the personalities involved and a certain amount of anti-Irish sentiment.