Irish bloodstock sales and exports continued to rise in 2015 but the latest thoroughbred industry figures reflect the ongoing decline in the number of horses in training, owners and race entries.
For the sixth consecutive year, bloodstock sales increased, up 3.5% from €147.4m to €152.5m, while export sales rose for the fifth successive year, up 16.7% from €229.4m to €267.7m.
Tote Ireland also experienced a fifth consecutive year of growth, with turnover up 29%. Racecourse attendances were almost on par with 2014, European Breeders Fund (EBF) sponsorship grew by 7.8% and commercial sponsorship continued its recovery, growing by 7.5%.
However, the combined fall in owners and new owners was 5%, while prize-money was up 9.9% to €53.4m. The absolute minimum value of a race in Ireland in 2016 will be €9,000. Meanwhile, average attendances fell 1.8% to 3,636, while the fixtures rose by 1.2% to 351.
HRI chief executive Brian Kavanagh said: “2015 represented the sixth consecutive year of growth, with Irish bloodstock sales of €152.5m up 3.5% on the 2014 figures. Irish-bred horses continue to dominate at the highest levels internationally and the value of Irish-foaled exported horses sold through public auction grew to €267.7m. This was a 16.7% increase on the previous year and Irish horses were exported to 33 different countries.”
Entries and runners
• Flat entries: up 4.6% from 24,014 to 25,119.• National Hunt entries: down 7.2% from 31,977 to 29,681.• Total entries: down 2% from 55,991 to 54,880.• Flat runners: up 2.7% from 11,259 to 11,560.• National Hunt runners: down 4.5% from 16,217 to 15,488.• Total runners: down 1.6% from 27,476 to 27,048.• Average field size: down 2.8% from 11 to 10.7.Horses-in-Training
and Ownership
• Horses-in-training: down 4.6% from 8,613 to 8,214.• Owners: down 2.6% from 3,706 to 3,609.• New owners: down 2.4% from 660 to 644.Kavanagh said: “We continue to focus on improving the horses-in-training and ownership figures and the decline of recent years has started to slow down, which is positive.
“With additional increases in prize money, further reductions in administrative costs and enhanced supports for trainers, we expect to see real progress in 2016. It is encouraging to see a return to growth in the number of flat entries, but National Hunt entries need stimulation. This year we will provide €100,000 to support the ITBA National Hunt Fillies Bonus Scheme, which has the objective of encouraging the sales of National Hunt fillies and also their being put into training in Ireland.”
The bonus scheme provides payments to the winning owner of qualified fillies/mares of €5,000 if winning a mares-only maiden bumper, maiden hurdle or beginners’ chase, giving each owner the potential to win €15,000.
2015 Betting
• Total Tote betting: up 28.7% from €61.6m to €79.9m.• On-course bookmaker betting (ring): down 1.4% from €70.3m to €69.3m.• On-course SP shops: up 9.3% from €9.7m to €10.6m.• On-course Tote betting: down 6.3% from €14.2m to €13.3m. • Total on-course betting: down 1.1% from €94.2m to €93.2m.Tote Ireland showed continued growth in 2015, with overall turnover rising 29% to almost €80m. Total Tote turnover has grown by more than 50% since 2012. The growth during 2015 was driven by international markets where demand for pool betting on Irish racing continues to be strong and this is expected to continue in 2016. Total on-course betting was marginally down although there were contrasting performances between the betting ring, which was down 1.4%, and on-course betting shops, which were up by 9.3%.
Attendances and Fixtures
• Total attendances: down 0.7% from 1.29m to 1.28m. • Average attendances: down 1.8% from 3,704 to 3,636. • Fixtures: up 1.2% from 347 to 351.Racecourse attendance was down slightly after a year of extremely wet weather, which saw 10 rescheduled meetings as opposed to one in 2014. Weather affected many of the key festivals including Punchestown, Galway, Killarney, Longines Irish Champions Weekend, Listowel and the Christmas meetings at Leopardstown and Limerick. Attendance in the final month of the year alone was down almost 18,000 after the wettest December on record.
Prize money and sponsorship
• Prize money: up 9.9% from €49.6m to €53.4m.• Commercial sponsorship: up 7.5% from €4m to €4.3m.HRI will increase prize-money by €3.1m (or 5.8%) in 2016 from €53.4m to €56.7m. This follows a €5m (10%) increase in prize money in 2015. The absolute minimum race value in Ireland will be increased from €8,000 to €9,000.
Brian Kavanagh commented: “We are building on our commitment to increase prize money and to reduce administrative costs for owners and trainers. Competitive levels of prize money will help us to attract and retain owners, which remains our top priority. The growth in commercial sponsorship shows that confidence in racing’s appeal for a large portion of the sporting public remains strong and we expect further gains in 2016.”
Irish bloodstock sales and exports continued to rise in 2015 but the latest thoroughbred industry figures reflect the ongoing decline in the number of horses in training, owners and race entries.
For the sixth consecutive year, bloodstock sales increased, up 3.5% from €147.4m to €152.5m, while export sales rose for the fifth successive year, up 16.7% from €229.4m to €267.7m.
Tote Ireland also experienced a fifth consecutive year of growth, with turnover up 29%. Racecourse attendances were almost on par with 2014, European Breeders Fund (EBF) sponsorship grew by 7.8% and commercial sponsorship continued its recovery, growing by 7.5%.
However, the combined fall in owners and new owners was 5%, while prize-money was up 9.9% to €53.4m. The absolute minimum value of a race in Ireland in 2016 will be €9,000. Meanwhile, average attendances fell 1.8% to 3,636, while the fixtures rose by 1.2% to 351.
HRI chief executive Brian Kavanagh said: “2015 represented the sixth consecutive year of growth, with Irish bloodstock sales of €152.5m up 3.5% on the 2014 figures. Irish-bred horses continue to dominate at the highest levels internationally and the value of Irish-foaled exported horses sold through public auction grew to €267.7m. This was a 16.7% increase on the previous year and Irish horses were exported to 33 different countries.”
Entries and runners
• Flat entries: up 4.6% from 24,014 to 25,119.• National Hunt entries: down 7.2% from 31,977 to 29,681.• Total entries: down 2% from 55,991 to 54,880.• Flat runners: up 2.7% from 11,259 to 11,560.• National Hunt runners: down 4.5% from 16,217 to 15,488.• Total runners: down 1.6% from 27,476 to 27,048.• Average field size: down 2.8% from 11 to 10.7.Horses-in-Training
and Ownership
• Horses-in-training: down 4.6% from 8,613 to 8,214.• Owners: down 2.6% from 3,706 to 3,609.• New owners: down 2.4% from 660 to 644.Kavanagh said: “We continue to focus on improving the horses-in-training and ownership figures and the decline of recent years has started to slow down, which is positive.
“With additional increases in prize money, further reductions in administrative costs and enhanced supports for trainers, we expect to see real progress in 2016. It is encouraging to see a return to growth in the number of flat entries, but National Hunt entries need stimulation. This year we will provide €100,000 to support the ITBA National Hunt Fillies Bonus Scheme, which has the objective of encouraging the sales of National Hunt fillies and also their being put into training in Ireland.”
The bonus scheme provides payments to the winning owner of qualified fillies/mares of €5,000 if winning a mares-only maiden bumper, maiden hurdle or beginners’ chase, giving each owner the potential to win €15,000.
2015 Betting
• Total Tote betting: up 28.7% from €61.6m to €79.9m.• On-course bookmaker betting (ring): down 1.4% from €70.3m to €69.3m.• On-course SP shops: up 9.3% from €9.7m to €10.6m.• On-course Tote betting: down 6.3% from €14.2m to €13.3m. • Total on-course betting: down 1.1% from €94.2m to €93.2m.Tote Ireland showed continued growth in 2015, with overall turnover rising 29% to almost €80m. Total Tote turnover has grown by more than 50% since 2012. The growth during 2015 was driven by international markets where demand for pool betting on Irish racing continues to be strong and this is expected to continue in 2016. Total on-course betting was marginally down although there were contrasting performances between the betting ring, which was down 1.4%, and on-course betting shops, which were up by 9.3%.
Attendances and Fixtures
• Total attendances: down 0.7% from 1.29m to 1.28m. • Average attendances: down 1.8% from 3,704 to 3,636. • Fixtures: up 1.2% from 347 to 351.Racecourse attendance was down slightly after a year of extremely wet weather, which saw 10 rescheduled meetings as opposed to one in 2014. Weather affected many of the key festivals including Punchestown, Galway, Killarney, Longines Irish Champions Weekend, Listowel and the Christmas meetings at Leopardstown and Limerick. Attendance in the final month of the year alone was down almost 18,000 after the wettest December on record.
Prize money and sponsorship
• Prize money: up 9.9% from €49.6m to €53.4m.• Commercial sponsorship: up 7.5% from €4m to €4.3m.HRI will increase prize-money by €3.1m (or 5.8%) in 2016 from €53.4m to €56.7m. This follows a €5m (10%) increase in prize money in 2015. The absolute minimum race value in Ireland will be increased from €8,000 to €9,000.
Brian Kavanagh commented: “We are building on our commitment to increase prize money and to reduce administrative costs for owners and trainers. Competitive levels of prize money will help us to attract and retain owners, which remains our top priority. The growth in commercial sponsorship shows that confidence in racing’s appeal for a large portion of the sporting public remains strong and we expect further gains in 2016.”
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