It appears that jockey and newspaper columnist Norman Williamson is no real thoroughbred when it comes to diplomacy. Given the amount of bland sound bites we are regularly asked to listen to from "experts", Williamson's candid and somewhat offensive views on RTE television last weekend on the planned equine centre in Ballymun came as quite a jolt.

Williamson had been watching Tracy Piggott's report from Ballymun on youngsters caring for their horses and ponies while waiting to be interviewed by Robert Hall. Before launching into a discussion of Williamson's win in the Leopardstown Novice Chase aboard Nick Dundee, Hall naturally canvassed his opinion on the Piggott report.

"I don't know if I want to be any closer to it than I am to be honest," said the racing ambassador to a startled Hall - all those shaggy ponies and dirty kids, uggh.