THE Galway attendance figures are discussed elsewhere but, despite the week satisfying on most fronts, the final figures are a bit chastening. How do you get more people attending a race meeting that receives nothing but positive comments, yet has shown falling figures over the last four years, and often despite favourable circumstances?

The mid-week figures in 2017 had a total of 17,322 people attending the Wednesday Galway Plate in an afternoon of wet weather for Balko Des Flos’ win. Last year, moved to a later slot, 16,925 attended, again in wet conditions. This year, no excuses but down to 16,634 and in sunshine.

It was the same for the Thursday in a short timeframe, (see figures below), with 32,663 in 2016, and down to 24,503 people last week. That’s a loss of 8,160 over four years.

The Friday figures have improved but not by a sufficient margin to compensate for the mid-week dip, up by 3,730 over four years.

Clawing back the deficit is starting to look more and more difficult.

Curragh v RDS?

“Joined-up thinking” is one of those bits of jargon frequently used in the corporate world.

But it’s often something that racing’s collective parties just seem not to be tuned in to. We have seen how racing often seems to forget to take into account how other sporting events might impact on their audience.

The scheduling of one of the Curragh’s big Friday night fixtures up against the Dublin Horse Show’s big day with the Aga Khan Trophy, for the public and trade professionals, who span both sectors of the equestrian industry just doesn’t seem like the wisest move.

Admittedly the Phoenix Stakes always clashed with the final day of the Horse Show in the past, but moving it to almost the exact time of the Nations Cup on a Friday seems an odd move.