5 JANUARY 1991, Page 19

Racing certainty

FIRST, though, he must fix his budget day — traditionally a Tuesday in mid-March. I can recommend 19 March. Nigel Lawson obstinately staged his budgets on Cham- pion Hurdle Day (this year, 12 March) but John Major courteously avoided it. Nor- man Lamont need only study their con- trasting fortunes. Besides, if this is his shot at an election-winning budget, he needs the racing vote, and, I dare say, all the votes he can get.