Racing:While Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) attempted to put a brave face on matters, pointing to a leveling out of attendances and a slight rise in bloodstock sales, the figures released for the last 12 months don't make for comfortable reading for the industry.
On-course betting continues to fall, with punters still flocking to online and off-shore accounts, while total-prize money and race sponsorship are both well down on 2009 figures.
Bookies took just €107.4 million at tracks around the country last year, compared with €121.9 million in 2009. The number of bets placed at Tote and on-course SP shops also fell dramatically.
The value of flat races in Ireland fell by €5.5 million last year, from €28.3 million to €22.8 million. Almost €4 million of that total was due to the loss of the two Goffs Sales races at the Curragh and a significant reduction in the values of the five Classics and Irish Champion Stakes.
The prize funds at National Hunt meetings were not immune from the effects of the recession either, with the total down from €24.6 million to 23.2 million.
Owners, particularly those new to the sport, remain thin on the ground with almost 50 per cent fewer newcomers attracted to the industry since 2007. In addition, the total number of owners fell below 5,000.
The silver lining, if that is not stretching things a touch, for the industry came with the news that bloodstock sales rose slightly while average attendances were on a par with 2009 levels. However, any talk of a recovery is still well wide of the mark.
“In 2008 we had the first year of contraction in the industry in fifteen years and the decline in attendances and bloodstock sales, key markers of the health of the business, accelerated in 2009,” explained HRI chief executive Brian Kavanagh today. “I welcome any sign of those trends tailing off. However, this is by no means a recovery, but a positive indication that racing can work its way through the challenges”.
2010 Racing Industry Statistics – key points
* Total Prize-Money down 13% to 46 million
* Race Sponsorship down 17% to 5 million (excluding sales races)
* Average Horses in Training down 11% to 5,769
* Total Number of Owners down 9% to 4,667
* Total Number of New Owners down 13% to 776