Peter Scudamore's world of racing - Battle is on to keep Ayr of excitement

The Cheltenham Festival, Aintree's Grand National meeting, Punchestown all this week and next weekend the end-of-season jamboree over two days at Sandown crammed into around eight weeks.

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And amid it all Ayr seems slightly lost. The calendar did not help the Scottish track's big jumping meeting, coming only a week after Aintree, but the massive strides made off the track in recent seasons are struggling to be matched on it.

Scottish National day is still magnificent and 17,000 watched Hot Weld win a fantastic spectacle that clearly still holds plenty of appeal to the local community.

But on Friday it was deserted and the emptiness was emphasised by the sparsely-filled facilities that awaited Saturday's invasion.

In a competitive world crowded by Festivals, Ayr isn't that.

Its location means it is not a day trip for many. But it remains a fantastic track.

It will not be easy but Ayr has to build up its must-see' image and make people want to attend both days, otherwise it will struggle to maintain the position it deserves.

Inca looks a stayer

One of the features of this week's cracking Punchestown Festival, which starts tomorrow, will be Brave Inca's attempt to win the Grade One Champion Stayers' Hurdle on Thursday over three miles.

Brave Inca has a pedigree which screams stamina and didn't achieve his greatest victories courtesy of blinding speed.

I believe he'll stay the longer trip and over that longer distance racing life will be much sweeter for Brave Inca, helping him to prolong his career at the top.

No more dark days

It is not too far back in ancient history when racing fans were almost completely in the dark.

Inaccurate audio commentaries relayed a stylised picture of the action to betting shops.

I was reminded of the old days when jockeys last week threatened a boycott and allegedly asked for disciplinary action on At The Races pundit Matt Chapman, whose comments they blamed for earning Joe Fanning a lengthy ban.

As a rider, criticism annoyed me, especially when it was from someone I felt had not, and thus could not, appreciate the position I was in.

But I now accept that while commentators should accentuate the positive, they can't ignore the issues. Their audience wouldn't allow it.

If anyone is at fault for this state of affairs it is the racing authorities for allowing the belief to fester among riders that the media can influence their decisions.

In the past stewards have reported they have disciplined jockeys over use of the whip after complaints from viewers.

Greater exposure has brought extra scrutiny to the sport but it has also increased rewards and you don't hear many complaining about them.