So many questions arising from the white paper - and it's far from certain racing and punters will like the answers

The impact of the long-awaited gambling white paper on British racing will be "minimal", minister Stuart Andrew told the Racing Post last week after the fabled document was finally published.

However, it would be unwise to count any chickens on that front given that one crucial period in shaping policy has ended and another crucial period is about to begin.

The measures being proposed by the government had been flagged up well in advance of the white paper's publication, so there was no great surprise the two issues of most concern to racing's leaders – affordability checks, or 'financial risk checks' as they have become, and a review of the levy system – figured in the document.