A 7.2% drop in entries for National Hunt races last year was one of the eye-catching figures in the latest set of key industry statistics published by Horse Racing Ireland.

While flat racing numbers showed modest growth, the jumps game continues to struggle to recover ground list during the recession. HRI chief executive Brian Kavanagh said: "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.”

With the number of owners and horses in training continuing to fall, HRI focused more on the increase in bloodstock sales activity, which grew for the sixth consecutive year. Exports rose for the fifth consecutive year in 2015.

Tote Ireland also experienced a fifth consecutive year of growth, with turnover up 29%. Racecourse attendances were almost on par with 2014, having lost the gains made in the first half of the year to the extreme weather conditions in the autumn and winter.

European Breeders Fund (EBF) sponsorship grew by 7.8% and commercial sponsorship continued its recovery, growing by 7.5%.

This background of growth and consolidation has not yet been reflected in the areas of horses-in-training, ownership and race entries, although entries and runners in Irish Flat racing have improved year-on-year.

2015 SALES

• Bloodstock Sales up 3.5% from €147.4m to €152.5m

• Export Sales up 16.7% from €229.4m to €267.7m

Brian Kavanagh said: "Last year 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 & 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

Brian Kavanagh commented: "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.

BETTING

• Total Tote Betting up 28.7% from €61.6m to €79.9m

On-Course Betting

• 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 & 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 & 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 €3.1 million (or 5.8%) in 2016 from €53.4 million to €56.7 million. This follows a €5 million (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 said: "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.

KEY INDUSTRY STATISTICS

Bloodstock sales at public auction €152.5m (up 3.5%)

Value of Irish-foaled exported horses sold through auction €267.7m (16.7%)

Number of countries to which Irish-foaled horses sold through auction were exported 33 (down 2.9%)

Fixtures 351 (up 1.2%)

Races 2,522 (up 1.3%)

Total Entries 54,880 55,991 (up 2%)

Flat Entries 25,119 (up 4.6%)

National Hunt Entries 29,681 (down 7.2%)

Eliminations 2,474 (down 10.6%)

Total runners 27,048 (down 1.6%)

Flat runners 11,560 (up 2.7%)

National Hunt runners 15,488 (down 4.5%)

Individual runners 6,633 (down 0.8%)

Individual winners 1,794 (up 1.8%)

Individual placed horses 3,894 (up 2.2%)

Field sizes 10.7 (down 2.8%)

Total horses-in-training 8,214 (down 4.6%)

Average horses-in-training 4,206 (up 0.7%)

Total owners 3,609 (down 2.6%)

New owners 644 (down 2.4%)

Total prize-money €53.4m (up 9.9%)

Prize-money won in UK by Irish-trained horses £10,892m (up 17.8%)

Prize-money won in rest of world by Irish-trained horses €5,320m (up 17.4%)

Commercial sponsorship €4.3m €4m (up 7.5%)

EBF sponsorship €1.6m (up 7.8%)

Total attendances 1.28m (down 0.7%)

Average attendance 3,636 (down 1.8%)

Off-course bookmaker betting (shops) €3.10bn* (up 18.3%)

Total on-course betting (incl. tote) €93.2m (down 1.1%)

On-course bookmaker betting €79.9m (down 0.1%)

> Betting ring €69.3m (down 1.4%)

> On-course SP shops €10.6m (up 9.3%)

Total tote betting €79.3m (up 28.7%)

> On-course tote €13.3m (down 6.3%)

> Off-course tote (Irish pools) €60.6m (up 45.3%)

> Off-course tote (International pools) €5.4m (down 5.3%)

*this provisional figure doesn’t include the last quarter. Final figures will be released in February

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