Dip in DRF viewing figures

VIEWING figures for RTÉ Racing’s coverage of the Dublin Racing Festival earlier this month experienced a drop compared to 2022 viewership levels.

Day one of the meeting, which included the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup but took place at the same time as Ireland’s Six Nations rugby win over Wales, had an audience of 61,000 and 8% share, though there was an additional 29,700 live streams on the RTÉ Player.

Figures for the same fixture 12 months earlier tallied at an average audience of 83,000 and share of 9%. There were no separate RTÉ Player figures provided last year.

This year’s day two card, featuring State Man’s defeat of Honeysuckle in the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle, drew 82,000 viewers and had an audience share of 12%. It had a further 7,000 live RTÉ Player streams.

In 2022, the Sunday card averaged 108,000 viewers with a 14% share.

New jockeys’ agent

EOIN Freaney has been granted a jockeys’ agent licence and is booking mounts for apprentices Alan Persse and Amy Jo Hayes. Persse claims 7lb and, like Freaney, is based with trainer Joseph O’Brien. Hayes also claims 7lb and is apprenticed to Andy Slattery. Both riders can claim their full allowance off bottom weight. Freaney can be contacted on 087 3870985.