Sense of humour helps when playing the horses

The 13th cheque is all spent, the pension pot is emptier, the wallet slimmer.

- Mike Moon

It's that eerie time between Christmas and New Year when people sober up, feel rather less merry and, possibly, start contemplating a financially challenging future.

For racing fans, the lure of the Get Out Stakes is strong. Luckily there's plenty of racing on the go, providing abundant opportunities to restore respectability to the bank balance.

Of course, seasoned punters will know that there's never an easy racecard and the usual red flags and warning klaxons about chasing losses always apply—even in the silly season.

Here are some pithy observations on the subject: