Kavanagh says rain kept racegoers away

The bad summer weather last year is being blamed for the marginal increase in attendance figures on Ireland's racecourses in 2007, although total on-track betting reached €282 million.

Horse Racing Ireland's chief executive Brian Kavanagh pointed to the weather as the reason for just a 0.8 per cent increase in crowd levels when the 2007 statistics were released by racing's ruling body yesterday.

A total of 1,458,932 people attended racing in Ireland last year but it could have been more, Kavanagh argued. "This marginal increase, while falling short of expectations set by a very strong first-half-year performance, came against the background of a year that will be remembered for record breaking rainfall across the summer," he said. "There were 49 consecutive days of rain in June and July followed by a very wet August which kept a lot of racegoers away," Kavanagh added. "It is clear that a continued programme of investment in racecourse facilities will be necessary to ensure further growth in attendances."

The slight attendance figure increase comes against the backdrop of a 4.3 per cent increase in fixtures to 333 last year and a 5.6 per cent increase in total races run to 2,397. There was an overall increase in betting turnover with on-course bookmakers increasing their business by four per cent to €205 million. Tote turnover was up by a massive 23 per cent to €61.3 million, a jump helped by betting from the UK Tote, the French PMU and the "attheraces" television channel.

Kavanagh emphasised HRI's commitment to quality racing and stressed that horses are being produced in this country for which there would be no races. He also described the opening of Dundalk's news floodlit all-weather track last August as "the high point of another successful year for Irish horse racing". He added: "Despite an on-going dispute between the racecourse and the Irish National Bookmakers Association, the initial experience of the facilities and evening floodlit racing has been universally positive." The one negative statistic reported yesterday was a seven per cent drop in turnover in bloodstock sold at public auction to €176.5 million.

2007 RACING STATISTICS

Fixtures: Up 4.3 per cent from 319 to 333. Races run: Up 5.6 per cent from 2,268 to 2,397. Prizemoney: Up 8.3 per cent from €55million to €59.6m. Total racecourse betting: Up 7.6 per cent from €261.9 to €282m. On-Course bookmaker betting: Up four per cent from €197.3m to €205m. Tote betting: Up 23 per cent from €49.3m to €61.3m. Total horses in training: Up 9.7 per cent from 11,109 to 12,128. Total runners: Up 8.5 per cent from 31,588 to 34,291. Attendances: Up 0.8 per cent from 1,447,245 to 1,458,932. Bloodstock sales at public auction: Down seven per cent from €189.4m to €176.5m.