Yay! It’s Glorious Goodwood next week. Which reminds me that the Richmond family were breeding and racing horses when George I was still struggling with his English. They founded Goodwood races in the early 19th century.

I, on the other hand, am directly descended from one of the many illegitimate sons of George II, so it’s quite fitting that I became a carefree stable lad immediately after leaving ‘school’, while Charles Gordon-Lennox, 11th Duke of Richmond and Gordon, had to take his responsibilities rather more seriously when he left eight years before me.

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Charles Richmond is now one of the most intriguing figures in British racing, the rarest of modern creatures, a man with enthusiasm and entrepreneurship coursing through his veins. The racecourse is but one string of his substantial bow; cars rather than horses are his true love. But the style with which he runs Glorious Goodwood is second to none.

The Duke is one of the most intriguing figures in racing, entrepreneurship coursing through his veins

The Duke is one of the most intriguing figures in racing, entrepreneurship coursing through his veins

He suggested we meet in his Mayfair club at noon to ‘put the racing world to rights’ over a sharpener. Admittedly I didn’t have my Sunday-best shoes on, but I didn’t fancy the rather snooty scrutiny the........

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