Brian O'Connor reports
Betting turnover in Ireland rose sharply in 2003 with over €283 million gambled on the country's racecourses.
The figures represent a 14 per cent rise on the previous year and appear to confirm that fears of a knock-on effect from the general economic slow-down were unfounded on the racecourses at least.
Total turnover by on-course bookmakers reached €237 million compared to a 2002 figure of €208.4 million. The Tote chipped in with their own 14 per cent increase to €44.3 million.
However, the statistics do come on the back of a nine per cent increase in the number of race meetings run in Ireland last year, bringing the total to 303.
The figures were released yesterday by the sport's governing body, Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), who unsurprisingly described 2003 as a positive year for the sport.
"It was a good year due to the success of additional fixtures, competitive racing and generally good weather, particularly for our major events," said the HRI chief executive, Brian Kavanagh.
The biggest event yet again in terms of attendance figures was the seven-day Galway festival at the end of July, which attracted a total of 192,000 racegoers through the turnstiles.
Next best was the Listowel festival, with 93,000, while Punchestown pulled in 69,000. The recent Leopardstown Christmas festival was fourth on the list with a 61,000 total.
Overall, attendance figures at Irish racecourses last year were up 8.5 per cent to a total of 1,395,833.
Prizemoney reached the €50.4 million mark, which was up nine per cent on 2002, while sponsorship figures were also up nine per cent, to €7.1 million.
Kavanagh was keen to emphasise the latter figure: "The growth of race sponsorship in 2003 is perhaps the best indicator of future prospects for the industry."
Other figures released include a 3.7 per cent increase in the number of horses in training to 5,672, and last year they could compete for a total of 2,166 races run at the 303 race meetings.
HRI also emphasised that nine of the 10 Group One races run on the flat in Ireland last year were won by home-trained horses. Overseas, the successes of Monty's Pass in the Grand National, Refuse To Bend in the 2,000 Guineas and Alamshar in the King George helped keep Irish-based horses on the forefront of international racing.
However, Kavanagh added: "Racing lost three of its finest young jockeys in 2003. Kieran Kelly, Seán Cleary and Timmy Houlihan all graced the sport with their presence and will be remembered wherever the racing community gathers in the future."
Meanwhile, trainer Frances Crowley reports that her exciting novice Nil Desperandum could return to action at Naas on January 24th before taking his final SunAlliance Chase test in the PJ Moriarty at Leopardstown next month.
Nil Desperandum missed out on Leopardstown over Christmas with a leg injury, but Crowley said: "The form of his Fairyhouse win is working out very well and he seems even better this year. I think he likes nice soft ground but, as long as it isn't rock hard, he will act on anything."
