Attendances at UK race meetings totalled 5.58 million in 2012, down from a 10-year high of 6.15 million in 2011. But this was a respectable performance given that the Olympics were held in London in 2012. There was also some spectacularly wet weather during the summer of 2012, which caused fixtures to be abandoned.
Not surprisingly, Royal Ascot, the Cheltenham Festival, and the Epsom Derby were the top three meetings by attendance in 2012.
The report also highlights the dilemma that racecourses face in trying to attract new visitors but also trying to please the regular racegoer:
“Racing benefits from a loyal but relatively small core of high frequency racegoers who make up a sizeable proportion of total attendances… however, the sport appeals to, and needs, other less frequent racegoers for whom racing is only a part of the raceday experience – with other factors as, or indeed more, important”.
The number of owners with a horse in training has fallen by 14% from its peak of 9,551 in 2007 to 8,215 in 2012, a decline that mirrors the fortunes of the wider UK economy. When the average cost of keeping a Flat horse in training is over GB£21,500 a year (2012), owning a racehorse is a luxury and one that is soon dismissed when a businessman’s company is struggling or jobs are being lost.
The number of owners with one horse in training fell by 900 between 2008 and 2012, whereas the number of owners with 11-20 horses in training fell by just 1 over the same period. Again, this suggests that the very wealthy were able to keep their luxuries, while the smaller owners quickly gave up their racing interests when the financial troubles hit.
