stuart@abacus-bloodstock

Brilliant. I don't eat baked beans, there are no bus services in my village and I'm not on mains gas. I am an employer however so all the pain and none of the "gain".

Today we’re announcing a new £10bn package of support for Ukraine. This funding will help Ukraine meet its immediate needs, support economic resilience, and help defend its sovereignty from Russia’s illegal invasion. We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.

As a nation we do memorials so well. IT HAS NO SADDLE. NO RIDER. AND IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, A SINGLE TEAR. THIS IS THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL TO THE HORSES OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR. Unveiled in 2018, she stands at Ascot. The horse is simply called Poppy.

"Instead of them working for me, I'll be working for them!" Gary Moore says he will step down from training from next Wednesday at Fontwell, with son Jamie joining his brother Josh on the training license... @hayleyjanemoore What a career 🙌

People keep asking why asylum seekers choose Britain. Could it possibly have something to do with the fact that Britain spent centuries colonising countries, spreading its language and establishing connections across the world? The British Empire didn’t disappear without leaving a legacy.

Since news broke of the young man’s death at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, I have read comments that have left me deeply saddened. Before the full facts were known, people were already passing judgement. Even after his death was announced, some were saying that he deserved what happened. He did not deserve to die. This was someone’s baby. Someone’s son, loved by his family, who should have come home. There have been reports that he had autism and learning difficulties, although his personal circumstances have not yet been officially confirmed. As an aunt to nephews with additional needs, I understand that there is no single way in which those needs present themselves. They can affect how someone communicates, processes their surroundings, recognises danger, assesses consequences or responds in an unfamiliar situation. What may appear obvious to one person may not be understood in the same way by another. We do not yet know what this young man understood, what he was experiencing or what was going through his mind. We should not pretend that we do. I have seen cruel comments from people who have “be kind” written in their biographies. Perhaps it is time we started practising what we preach. Kindness matters most when somebody is vulnerable and when a family is experiencing unimaginable grief. I do not blame the tiger. It was acting on instinct, and I am relieved that it is safe and unharmed. Nor is this post intended to blame Yorkshire Wildlife Park, which carries out important conservation, welfare and education work. The circumstances surrounding this tragedy will rightly be investigated by the appropriate authorities. That process should be based on evidence, not rumours or social-media speculation. We can recognise the work of the park, understand that the tiger was acting naturally and still show compassion for the young man who lost his life. Those things are not mutually exclusive. His family and everyone affected by what happened are in my thoughts today. My heart breaks for the people who loved him. These must have been among the most devastating 24 hours of their lives. Compassion costs nothing.