Robots riding roughshod

Cheaper, more efficient, and less likely to be the subject of undercover documentaries than five-year-old Asian boys, an army of robotic camel jockeys is on its way to the land of sand.

"The mechanical jockey is light in weight and receives orders from the instructor via a remote control system fixed on the back of the camel."

Camel racing meets the cyber age. How easy will it be to hack into their controls, and command an I, Robot-style mob of mechanical munchkins to march on their masters, and run amok into the dunes?

Bad news though for hundreds of little subcon boys: straight back to Bangla and onto the career scrapheap before the age of ten. Such is the cost of progress in today's harsh world.

Frankie Dettori will be quaking in his riding boots.