THE cost of a day’s racing at Cheltenham this week has been a factor in driving overseas booking for the upcoming Punchestown Festival.

Increased ticket prices and hikes in the cost of food and drink at Cheltenham this week has generated plenty of headlines. A Club enclosure ticket for all four days this year at Cheltenham cost £405 (€482), up from £358 in 2020.

Lunch at a reserved table at this week’s Festival typically cost £600 (€715) per person (includes race ticket) while, for those with general admission tickets, a pint of Guinness or cider cost £7 (€8.34).

The Irish Field heard from one group at Cheltenham this week who worked out that the cost of one day’s entertainment would have paid for flights, four-star accommodation and two days’ racing with lunch at Punchestown.

By comparison, admission and lunch at a reserved table at Punchestown is typically €219 per day. General admission tickets are a maximum of €50 for a flexi-ticket, having been as low as €22 per day if bought in advance.

A spokesperson for Punchestown said: “We’ve frozen our prices this year because we feel it’s important to get the crowds back after missing a year through Covid. Advance bookings from Britain are strong and we’re hearing that the value aspect is playing a strong role in their decisions.”

Asked why prices had risen this year, a Cheltenham Racecourse spokesperson said: “We work hard to absorb inflationary costs wherever we can. However, we’ve had to factor in current inflation rises in relation to goods and labour when deciding on the prices of some of the items we serve. Despite this our prices are comparable to other major events, with all our profits reinvested back into British horseracing.”

The higher prices at Cheltenham certainly didn’t put people off this week as they turned out in record numbers. Tuesday saw a day one record of 68,500 and on Thursday there was an all-time record attendance of 73,754.

Yesterday’s crowd also looked to be a sell-out and, with some racegoers complaining that the crowds were too big this week, talk of extending the Festival to a fifth day is sure to surface again.