LANGHOLM-BASED trainer James Ewart has identified underfunding as the most serious weakness in today’s Racing Industry.

In a hard-hitting feature on racing, published in the Parliamentary Review, Ewart stresses that the Levy Board’s current offer of £9.74million is palpably not enough to filter down to where it is most needed in the middle and lower ranks of the racing pyramid.

He compares it to the billions earned by the leading bookmakers on their horseracing turnover and demands a tougher and more modern negotiating approach from the BHA.

He adds: “The average prize money for winning an ordinary race has dropped to little more than £4,000, while the average cost of preparing a National Hunt horse to run has now risen to near £5,000.

“Funding has to be found to alter the balance.”

James also believes that racecourses should pay attendance money to encourage more competitive fields and is critical of some tracks for failing to spend enough money on turf maintenance.

He started his training career in France and would like to see the practice now common place there of allowing female riders a reduction of 3lbs when riding, against male riders to come the rule in the UK.

He explains: “Some 80 per cent of my permanent staff at Langholm are young women with ambitions to become jockeys and they deserve all the help that they can get.”

James Ewart has plenty of positive ideas as well as most interest comments about his stables near Langholm. It is an excellent read featured in the current edition of the Parliamentary Review.

Success breeds success and there would appear to be no stopping Caius Marcius, particularly if it means a long doze in his comfortable horsebox on the marathon trip south from Greystoke to Newton Abbot.

For the second time within the month, the bold-jumping Cumbrian raider relished the sound conditions underfoot to leave his rivals struggling in his wake.

It was little more than a stroll in the sunshine as he joined forces once again with Brian Hughes to make all and record his fourth win from five outings over fences.

It has certainly been a case of making hay while the sun shines as Caius Marcius enjoys a spin round a tight left-hand track like Newton Abbot. He will be rested over the winter but, given a prolongation of this Indian Summer, Nicky Richards might yet find one more suitable opportunity.

On the level, My Valentino took his score to three wins and a back-to-back success for Dianne Sayer and Janie Sullivan with another do or die last-gasp victory at Hamilton on Monday.

The seven-year-old has taken on a new lease of life this summer having previously gone 31 races without success. Two days earlier the super tough Redarna had come within an hair’s breadth of landing his fourth win at Ayr.

Drawn 12 of 12, Redarna swooped late and fast under Tom Eaves but the post came a stride too soon.

Incidentally, normal service was resumed at Pontefract last Thursday with Paul Mulrennan taking the ride on the Michael Dods-trained Gale Force Maya. Passing the furlong marker, the Frank Lowe-owned filly looked all set to lift the prize only to be run down close home.

Such final furlong upsets were happily not repeated in the Pontefract two-miler, in which Phil Dennis judged the fractions to a nicety on the Tristan Davidson-trained stayer Rubenesque, and scored “going away” from the hot favourite Forewarning.

Paul Mulrennan had a fancied book of rides for Michael Dods at Ayr last Friday but, fortunately, he starred in his new freelance role steering the Tim Easterby-trained Music Society to a 20/1 surprise win in the William Hill Silver Cup.

It is the first leg of the Autumn double tomorrow and Le Don De Vie, an impressive winner on his debut over the course for Hughie Morrison, is both in peak form and still very well handicapped. He will be hard to beat. Old favourite Nicholas T could be a possible outsider for Jim Goldie.