THIS week’s racing headlines picked out the possibility of top horses coming from as far away as Japan to compete in the Group 1 races on Irish Champions Weekend. The creation of ICW last year was one of the success stories in Irish racing and it is an indication of where we now sit, attracting the world’s best to our racetracks. That’s the elite stuff.

Further down, there are many other areas to bring optimism that racing is moving in the right direction.

While acknowledging that Willie Mullins had made valid points in his appeal for more prize money, many operating at the lower levels had justification in saying, what about us.

While racing in general struggled with attendances, the summer festival scene had held on to racegoers and attracted decent fields.

Two weeks ago Sligo had paid host to Prince Charles, this week’s two day Ballinrobe fixture showcased a track that has made huge strides in the last years.

Winners of the HRI Racecourse Award in 2012, the Ballinrobe team have improved the track and their efforts were rewarded with excellent cards, decent horses in action and a big field for the Mayo National on Tuesday with a prize of €19,500 to the winner.

Many of the smaller tracks - referring to them as county tracks often sounded like they were of lesser importance - depend more on local sponsorship as with McHale Engineering’s Ballinrobe sponsorship but they are doing sterling work at local levels. There is still a need to attract sponsors outside those with a direct interest in racing, especially when compared to the amounts contributed to other sports.

The National Hunt cards are attracting decent fields through the summer. There’s always been the attraction of horses running up a sequence through the summer and becoming popular to follow. On the flat, there is a case to say there are too many conditions races, usually won by lesser lights from the big stables, but in general racing is in much better state than in England.

It says something about the competitiveness of Irish racing that connections of this week’s Lingfield winner Bertie Blu Boy doubt if their horse is rated high enough to run at Laytown. Bertie Blu Boy has won 11 races in Britain and won off a BHA mark of 69 this week.

Legatissimo won her maiden at Galway last year with subsequent Group 1 winner Together Forever back in fourth and both fillies go to the Oaks next Friday with strong chances. Sir Isaac Newton has had his sights lowered but got off the mark at Gowran.

The Curragh last weekend had big fields, a fine mix of races and showed increased in bookmakers, tote and attendances for its two days.

Pretty much any track in the country can now hope to provide ground conditions to attract top horses. With the capital grant funding being realised, Listowel and Fairyhouse getting approval this week, improvements in facilities for the participants and the general public are beginning to move into the construction phases.

With racing having to compete for TV coverage and attendances, it can be a bit demoralising watching the GAA advertisements extoll the pride and passion driving that sport. The “be there, go all the way refrain”. It’s hard to compete with the drama of an all or nothing last minute point.

The attendance figures for championship matches, even early in the season, can put racing in the shade but there is reason for optimism.

There’s no reason to be complacent. The issue of permanent funding is still a thorny subject, still a dangling carrot in the distance but things are undoubtedly going in the right direction.