Depending on your view of the latest racing debate, team tactics are either dirty words or a red herring. Much hot air has been expended on the subject but it is not exhausted yet. Yesterday's publication by the British Horseracing Authority of detailed reasons for punishing the Ballydoyle Three forms - to borrow the President's words on the economic crisis - not the beginning of the end but the end of the beginning.

Deep in the small print of the justification for banning Johnny Murtagh and Colm O'Donoghue for seven days from next Wednesday, and for fining Aidan O'Brien, is a denouncement of the raceday stewards who failed to see anything wrong with the running of the International Stakes.

“The matter could and should have been handled better at Newmarket,” the disciplinary panel says. “If they had held an inquiry, as they should have done after seeing the race ...” Such rare criticism of local stewards will have repercussions for Geoff Forster, the stipendiary on duty that day. Owen Byrne, communications officer for the BHA, explains: “There are procedures here to be gone through but this is an internal matter and will be kept in-house.”

The panel confirms that O'Brien was guilty only of ignorance, rather than any attempt to cheat. This, however, will be quite enough to exasperate the great man, especially when he recalls that the race might not even have been run but for him.

Diary understands that a key factor in its rescheduling from the abandoned York festival was an unsolicited call from O'Brien to Ruth Quinn, the BHA racing director, assuring her that he would run Duke Of Marmalade, even for vastly reduced prize-money, if the group one race could be saved.

Admirable honesty, this week, from the boss of the Breeders' Cup. Greg Avioli, president and chief executive of the company responsible for America's self-styled world championship, concedes that it does not make enough of a stir, even in its home country. “It's what I get up every day worrying about,” Avioli says. “How do you make it relevant to a public that does not recognise racing as a top-five sport? It's true we have not met all our objectives in breaking through those barriers.”

Avioli believes the answer lies in the them-and-us rivalry typified by the Ryder Cup. and hopes that the banishing of dirt tracks, steroids and raceday drugs will intensify such competition. “The reason the Ryder Cup has seen such growth is the success of the Europeans. It wasn't such a big deal when the Americans were winning all the time.”

The nature of racing dictates there are countless background heroes, which is why their identification by the Pride of Racing awards is so welcome. This year's unveiling takes place at Lord's on October 16 and tickets can still be bought through pride@betfair.com. The 12 nominees include “Yarmy” Dyble, the fearless fellow who tames the most roguish of horses for stalls entry, Tom Lovell-Stag, who saved the life of a work rider after a gallops accident, and Geoff Woodward, whose 65 years in racing include looking after the Queen's first winner and riding work on Red Rum.

Peter Chapple-Hyam has had a deflating season but it has not deprived him of humour. On a foul day at virtually deserted Warwick this week, he raised an eloquent eyebrow when Jimmy Fortune told him his latest winner showed greenness. “Jimmy said he lost concentration looking at the crowd,” Chapple-Hyam said. “I told him he must have been green to imagine there was a crowd.”

No decent meeting should be run without a big screen these days. It was the one black mark for an otherwise terrific jumping day before a big crowd at Market Rasen last Saturday. The Lincolnshire track is owned by Jockey Club Racecourses and the absence of this now basic spectator aid reflects badly on them.