Horse Racing Ireland publishes industry figures for first six months of 2025
Steady start to 2025 for the racing and breeding industry with attendances, on-course betting and bloodstock sales ahead of the same period last year
Thursday, July 24, 2025
Steady start to 2025 for the racing and breeding industry with attendances, on-course betting and bloodstock sales ahead of the same period last year. Photo: Caroline Norris/Racing Post
Key figures for the first six months of 2025, released today by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), have shown a healthy rise in reported racecourse attendances, total on-course betting and bloodstock sales at public auction. While a reduction in the number of new owners compared to the same period last year was recorded, the number of active owners has increased.
Total attendances for the period came in at 566,377, up 6.9% on the same period last year. The Punchestown Festival was a key driver with the racecourse reporting increased attendances across all five days of the festival culminating in an overall figure of 136,651, a 15% rise on last year.
Total race sponsorship matched last year’s figure of €4.6m while total prize money reached €31.5m, an increase of 1.6%, with minimum values rising for many races in targeted areas.
While the number of fixtures remained at 173, the number of races reduced by five to 1,271, with nine fewer Flat races and four more National Hunt races.
The overall number of entries fell back by 3.3% to 26,765. While the number of Flat entries was down by 7.8%, there was a marginal increase in the number of National Hunt entries. However, the total number of runners was up by 1.2% to 14,549, with National Hunt runners up by 4.5%. The number of Flat runners reduced by 2.7%.
New guidelines on traceability and horse welfare sees two new categories introduced to record the numbers of horses, and their status, with a licenced trainer.
Across the first six months of the year, the total number of horses in training, declared “Racing Active”, by their designated trainer is 8,594, an increase of 2.4% on last year’s comparative figure of 8,394. There were 2,888 horses in the care of a licenced trainer registered as “Racing Inactive” in the first six months.
While the number of active owners (owners that have made an entry) is up by 2.6% to 3,860, there has been a reduction in the number of new owners in the first six months of the year to 412 from 486.
The betting figures are well ahead of last year with total on-course betting reaching €39.3m, up 12%. On-course bookmaker betting is up 14.1% to €35.7m with the total Tote betting figure reaching €34.2m, a rise of 6.2%. Total on-course Tote betting fell by €0.2m or 5.3%.
Strong overseas demand, particularly in the areas of breeze-up sales and store sales, resulted in an increase of 17.1% to €68.4m of bloodstock sales at public auction.
Suzanne Eade, CEO of Horse Racing Ireland, said:
“This period last year was blighted by significant disruption to the fixture list due to the weather and with a clearer run this time, most of the key numbers have recovered well. The reported rise in attendances across the board is most encouraging. The terrific success of the Punchestown festival not only shows how popular our sport remains with all age groups, but how important it is from a social and economic perspective.
“Increasing prize money remains a key focus for HRI to maintain our international competitiveness and to reward owners for their investment and their support of trainers and breeders. While we have been able to achieve modest targeted increases to prize money levels this year, the HRI Board remain committed to a prize money growth strategy which is vital to underpin Ireland’s global leading status.
“Since February of this year, new guidelines have been introduced to improve equine traceability and welfare. Our figures for the numbers of horses in training are now recorded in two distinct categories, allowing for a clearer assessment of a horse’s status while in the care of a licenced trainer for the first time.”
CLICK HERE FOR THE 2025 SIX-MONTH IRISH THOROUGHBRED RACING INDUSTRY STATISTICS
Total attendances for the period came in at 566,377, up 6.9% on the same period last year. The Punchestown Festival was a key driver with the racecourse reporting increased attendances across all five days of the festival culminating in an overall figure of 136,651, a 15% rise on last year.
Total race sponsorship matched last year’s figure of €4.6m while total prize money reached €31.5m, an increase of 1.6%, with minimum values rising for many races in targeted areas.
While the number of fixtures remained at 173, the number of races reduced by five to 1,271, with nine fewer Flat races and four more National Hunt races.
The overall number of entries fell back by 3.3% to 26,765. While the number of Flat entries was down by 7.8%, there was a marginal increase in the number of National Hunt entries. However, the total number of runners was up by 1.2% to 14,549, with National Hunt runners up by 4.5%. The number of Flat runners reduced by 2.7%.
New guidelines on traceability and horse welfare sees two new categories introduced to record the numbers of horses, and their status, with a licenced trainer.
Across the first six months of the year, the total number of horses in training, declared “Racing Active”, by their designated trainer is 8,594, an increase of 2.4% on last year’s comparative figure of 8,394. There were 2,888 horses in the care of a licenced trainer registered as “Racing Inactive” in the first six months.
While the number of active owners (owners that have made an entry) is up by 2.6% to 3,860, there has been a reduction in the number of new owners in the first six months of the year to 412 from 486.
The betting figures are well ahead of last year with total on-course betting reaching €39.3m, up 12%. On-course bookmaker betting is up 14.1% to €35.7m with the total Tote betting figure reaching €34.2m, a rise of 6.2%. Total on-course Tote betting fell by €0.2m or 5.3%.
Strong overseas demand, particularly in the areas of breeze-up sales and store sales, resulted in an increase of 17.1% to €68.4m of bloodstock sales at public auction.
Suzanne Eade, CEO of Horse Racing Ireland, said:
“This period last year was blighted by significant disruption to the fixture list due to the weather and with a clearer run this time, most of the key numbers have recovered well. The reported rise in attendances across the board is most encouraging. The terrific success of the Punchestown festival not only shows how popular our sport remains with all age groups, but how important it is from a social and economic perspective.
“Increasing prize money remains a key focus for HRI to maintain our international competitiveness and to reward owners for their investment and their support of trainers and breeders. While we have been able to achieve modest targeted increases to prize money levels this year, the HRI Board remain committed to a prize money growth strategy which is vital to underpin Ireland’s global leading status.
“Since February of this year, new guidelines have been introduced to improve equine traceability and welfare. Our figures for the numbers of horses in training are now recorded in two distinct categories, allowing for a clearer assessment of a horse’s status while in the care of a licenced trainer for the first time.”
CLICK HERE FOR THE 2025 SIX-MONTH IRISH THOROUGHBRED RACING INDUSTRY STATISTICS
Increasing prize money remains a key focus for HRI to maintain our international competitiveness and to reward owners for their investment and their support of trainers and breeders. While we have been able to achieve modest targeted increases to prize money levels this year, the HRI Board remain committed to a prize money growth strategy which is vital to underpin Ireland’s global leading status.
