CREDIT where credit is due, fair play to the Thurles bookmakers for sponsoring free entry to Sunday’s fixture. Here’s hoping it draws a large crowd, with plenty of first-time racegoers in the mix, who will hopefully enjoy their day out and come again.
Days at the races can be expensive; firstly, there’s admission, then a meal, maybe a drink or two. It all tots up, and that’s before placing any bets. If you’re backing losers, it’s easy to leave the races feeling a little negative about your experience, your pockets a lot lighter than when you arrived.
For many, particularly those watching the pennies, the admission price is their largest single spend, so taking that out of the equation increases the chance that they enjoy their day, with no bitter aftertaste.
For those who have never experienced a day at the races, and perhaps know little about our wonderful sport, the admission price acts as a deterrent, particularly if they’re considering an outing as a family.
We can’t expect sponsors of free admission at every meeting, but it’s definitely something that I would like to see increased. Discounted admission is another option, possibly earned for attending a track’s previous meeting. It’s a tactic that online retailers have embraced – as part of my Christmas shopping, one company included a leaflet with a 10% discount code for my next order.
Next time I’m in the market, I’m obviously going to return to that company, tempted by the discount. Repeat business is something we seem to be lacking in racecourse attendance, too many of those in the bumper crowds at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival treating it as an annual outing, rather than one of many racedays.
There’s an unmistakeable opportunity there to reward all ticket holders with a discount to Irish Champions Festival, or for a meeting of their choice.
Discounted admission for repeat racegoers is a no-brainer for racecourses, in my opinion, and while many racecourses offer membership for a fee, it requires a greater investment and therefore a more dedicated or established customer, rather than appealing to newcomers.
For example, annual membership costs €320 at the Curragh, €315 at Leopardstown, €275 at Punchestown, €195 at Limerick and €170 at Naas. At the time of writing, Galway appeared to be offering a reduced price of €100 on their website.
These rates can represent excellent value if you fully avail of all membership perks, but it’s a fair chunk of change if you have any doubts about making it to more than a handful of fixtures. Or perhaps you’d rather spread your racedays across a number of tracks, I certainly would.
Racecourses, like any business, each focus on their own customers, but it would benefit the sport as a whole if Horse Racing Ireland got involved with an initiative that spans nationwide. Membership to a racing club could offer discounts, inform of early bird rates and allow access to special events, such as meeting jockeys before the races for autographs and photos.
The latter is something I’ve seen via social media at British tracks, with queues lining up to meet the likes of Hollie Doyle and Oisin Murphy. Granted, this would be a welcome element at any Irish race meetings, but restricting it to members would encourage more to join the club.
Groups like Women In Racing and ITBA Next Generation have organised days out for members, featuring visits to stallion farms and racing yards, but their members are already involved in the industry. Until then, for the regular racegoer, a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes is the ITM Irish Stallion Trail, which takes place this week on Friday and Saturday.
The event is open to all and I would encourage anyone to go – it’s a chance to see equine stars in the flesh, view top-class stud farms, and learn more about the breeding industry, which always takes a back seat when it comes to mainstream media.
As wonderful as this event is, it takes place just once a year, and there seems to be very little other opportunities for fledgeling racing fans or anyone curious about our industry to learn more in-person, rather than on social media or through a TV screen.