Startling among the omissions of the Sovereign Series launch last week was a neglect of the human heroes who just might take the project to its target audience. Josh Apiafi, energetic chief executive of the Professional Jockeys' Association, has already moved to remedy this.

Apiafi, who was making his broadcasting debut for Channel 4 yesterday as an ideal link to weighing-room opinion, says: “It's an understatement to say there are grey areas in the Sovereign idea but anything new needs support. In my view, though, there really has to be a jockeys' championship within it.

“When I caught up with the promoters, they said it was something they might consider in year two but I think they need it immediately. The jockeys can be a big part of this but they need incentivising.”

Apiafi admits he is only “on the first rung of the ladder” in his aim to make jockeys more media-friendly and thus more recognisable. “I tell them Andy Murray could make £25,000 just going around boxes at Wimbledon last week but nobody will offer them such money if their profile is low.”

This has been quite a week in the burgeoning training career of Tom Dascombe. The former jump jockey was involved in controversy at Brighton when Caprio put on such a Mister Angry act that a stalls handler slapped him across the face. A day later, Dascombe was in Hollywood preparing his recently sold filly, Zaskar, for the American Oaks. Now, at Newmarket, he will seek his first group winner with two auspicious juveniles at the July meeting.

Caprio has been “punished” by castration but Dascombe welcomes the decision not to discipline the stalls handler, Mark Wilson.

Zaskar finished only tenth but her trainer reports she “got loose at the start”. Dascombe expects better luck with the mud-loving Classic Blade in the July Stakes today.

Racecourses are increasingly diverse businesses but Folkestone may be breaking new ground by acting as a temporary school. It is currently host to 55 children whose classrooms at Oakwood School were damaged in the Kent earthquakes of last year.

Lessons are being given in the grandstand boxes, the pond is providing science projects and the directors' box has been turned into a staff room. Lasting evidence of the pupils' presence will come when they design the racecard cover for Folkestone's meeting on August 31.

Readers of this column were the first to hear that Panorama planned to target racing for a second time. Its latest documentary is to be screened later this month and the Jockey Club - lampooned in the first instalment - are keen to know its content. A letter to the producers, warning that material filmed at Haydock recently constitutes an illegal breach of rights, has so far gone unanswered.

Aidan O'Brien can create more history on Sunday if he adds the Irish Oaks to his summer domination. No trainer has ever won four consecutive classics in an Irish season and O'Brien, with seven fillies still in a race missing the Epsom heroine, Look Here, is giving himself every chance.

July is bringing its regular rush of handicap winners for Sir Mark Prescott and a clue to his methods comes in an interview with Trainer magazine. The bachelor baronet says: “If I had a family and whatnot, I'd have less time to do all my little scheming wheezes ... I'm very happy that everybody else breeds like rabbits and gets into all the expense and often have their lives completely messed up by it. I'm absolutely thrilled for them but I don't want to do it myself.” So now we know.