Racing has feel-good story with Billy Lee a deserving champion jockey

Deserve is a luxury concept in racing. Plenty of shady individuals have got a lot more than they should reasonably be entitled to. Almost as rare in professional sport is a general sense of goodwill towards individual good fortune. But racing has just such a feelgood story with Billy Lee about to be crowned champion jockey.

The title is in the bag. Lee is uncatchable with a 19-winner lead over his nearest rival Colin Keane, 98 to 79. The campaign ends next weekend. It’s an outcome that has seemed fated, another wishy-washy concept usually useful only to those scrambling for a narrative structure but in this case apt.