Number of races.

Another bad decision by the bha it’s cut my going racing by about 50%

Announcement made 19 Oct 2022.

https://www.britishhorseracing.com/press_releases/racings-leaders-confirm-series-of-measures-to-improve-race-competitiveness-in-2023/

Scroll down the page and it's under the heading Race volume.

This seems a daft alternative to actually getting rid of the overload of fixtures.

I thought the problem there was that racecourses actually dictate. Why would they want less races, and potentially less people through the gate?

no fixture = no one through the gate, I guess this is the compromise for now.

6 races and some tracks card only for everything if you don’t have a card you can’t come in .

Chester in may card machine broke in the Dee stand

3 choices

Accept cash
Free entry
Turned away

Which did they do ?

how about this for an idea.
The race courses that can not get a race off on time pay £100 fine with their cash card for every race delay
that will sort the problem out very quickly

Not sure it would unless the course can fine trainers and jockeys directly without the BHA getting involved. Some trainers seem to instruct their jockey to go down last to gain a slight advantage. It is them that need to be hit in the pocket.

The other thing the BHA appear to be trying in pushing back the first race times at most afternoon meetings.

First race at Southwell tomorrow, 14:45hrs.

I'm all for new stuff being tried, but I strongly suspect the BHA are listening to some marketing guru who has told them that racing needs to be held 'when more people can go'. Quite what difference it makes to the crowd numbers by pushing back afternoon racing beats me, though.

BUT, what does make a difference to low midweek numbers is CHEAPER admission.

Last Friday at Notts saw an 'in advance' price of £5 (£0 when Racegoers Club discount applied). You could see the difference in numbers because of it. OK, not hordes of people but a healthier number than normally attend that fixture.

Racecourses and the BHA could save a lot of money through not consulting marketing gurus and just using some sound business sense..Ie charge less and have more people attend. The UK railway system realised this many, many years ago before sheer greed overtook common sense again!

I've noticed that The Knight. Annoying for those of us who like to get out, and back,  early. I suspect it is due to a combination of the 6 race idea mentioned at the start of the thread and the desire not to have a gap between last afternoon race and first evening race. If you had 7 race cards it would not be a problem but with 6 races starting at 1.45 or 2pm. you would have a 1+ hour gap.

Gate money must still matter to courses and few of them are able to afford almost free entry without increasing other charges. However, many tracks have increased entry fees, racecard prices and food and drink so they should not be surprised if attendances decline. Unless they get more from betting, the whole business model is under threat.