Six-month statistics for horse racing and breeding in Ireland, released today by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), point to underlying growth in the industry despite the continued impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the country’s overall well-being.
While the pandemic has had a major impact on all levels of the industry, particularly the area of racecourses and attendances, the metrics of horses in training, owners, runners, fixtures, and race numbers have all shown strong growth over the corresponding pre-pandemic figures for 2019.
Horses in training numbers – a key driver of rural employment for the industry – are up 24% on the last comparable figure (2019), with ownership also up by almost 24% and new owners registered showing a 31% increase on the 2019 figure.
The number of fixtures and races being run is at an all-time high, however, there has been no public attendance at any race meeting in Ireland in the first half of 2021, and owners, limited to 200 per meeting, have only been able to return to the racetrack since June 7.
Brian Kavanagh, CEO of Horse Racing Ireland, said:
“The increase in the number of active owners and newly registered owners in Ireland bodes well for the future as does the increase in the number of horses in training which is the lifeblood of the industry. This added investment by owners is reflected in the fixture list and the increase in the number of runners in both National Hunt and Flat races can only be of benefit to the industry, particularly in relation to employment.
“The major concern as we moved into 2021 was the absence of persons other than necessary workers from the racecourse and it was six months into the year before owners were able to return. The attendance figure that we publish today is primarily made up of the owners who went racing for a little over three weeks in June.
“Clearly this had a knock-on effect on betting figures, however, it is encouraging to note the increase in Tote pool betting compared to the same period in 2019 which is a result of the strategic alliance between Tote Ireland and the UK Tote Group which has been in place since the start of this year.
“2020 saw the bloodstock market severely disrupted with sales frequently deferred or relocated out of Ireland due to travel restrictions. There were issues again earlier this year, but as the restrictions around international travel ease, we are hopeful that the second half of 2021 will bring a return to the growth which the sector has experienced in recent years. The turnover at bloodstock sales in the first half of 2021, particularly the Goffs Land Rover Sale and the Tattersalls Derby Sale was encouraging.
CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO PDF OF 2021 IRISH THOROUGHBRED RACING SIX MONTH INDUSTRY STATISTICS TABLE
