Key Indicators Up In Ireland

[Wandering Eyes]

Statistics for the first half of the year in Ireland show that figures are up for key indicators, like racecourse attendance, active owners and turnover of on-course bookmakers.

Racecourse attendance has grown 9% year-on-year and with it on-course bookmakers reversed recent trends to report a turnover increase of 11.5%. Tote betting, while down overall, grew 5.4% on-track.

Active owners are up 8.5% from this time last year, with the owner retention rate (owners active in two consecutive years) at a 10-year high of 87%. New owner registrations are up 9.5%, with 484 new owners registered, and as such the number of horses in training has grown 3.5%. Another knock-on effect is that individual runners are up 9%, with an average of 11.6 runners per race. Prizemoney is up 6%.

Bloodstock sales are up a tick (1.3%), while sponsorship has grown 12.8% in the first half of the year.

“It is very encouraging that figures for the first six months demonstrate increased participation rates across the ownership spectrum, more horses-in-training, and people coming to the races in bigger numbers and enjoying the wonderful product we have,” said Horse Racing Ireland Chief Executive Brian Kavanagh. “We have worked hard on bringing new owners into Irish racing and then, with the racecourses, ensuring that the ownership experience was positive so that the retention rate of our ownership base was high. It is pleasing therefore to see the rates of new owners and owner tracking at ten-year highs.

“Ownership has been a key focus for Horse Racing Ireland and among the policy approaches has been increased prizemoney, increased opportunities for every strand of owner, the reduced costs and, this year, to ensure that prizemoney filters down to six places. Particular credit must go to our ownership team who work with racecourses on the ownership experience, run marketing support programmes for trainers, and organised the inaugural and hugely successful Trainers’ Open Morning last May.

“The increased ownership base, allied to that retention of the business, has a huge impact on racing in Ireland because increased horses-in-training and participation all over the country benefits trainers and breeders, and every facet of the industry.”

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