Bank holiday absence blamed for 1,000 Guineas crowd collapse

Newmarket managing director Amy Starkey believes a 1,000 Guineas day crowd that was just short of half the size of Saturday's record 2,000 Guineas attendance is attributable to a rare change in the calendar, which meant the meeting did not fall on a bank holiday weekend.

Saturday's Classic crowd of 19,412 was a modern-day best but only 10,590 were on the Rowley Mile the next day for the biggest Sunday race meeting of the year, compared to last year's 15,095 attendance.

Starkey said Sunday's crowd was at the lower end of predictions but not unexpected because the last time the meeting was not on a bank holiday weekend, in 2006, 1,000 Guineas day drew 9,847.

"There's a very definite reason why and we did everything we could to drive the numbers up across both of the days," she said. "We were rewarded with a record crowd and a lower crowd because it didn't clash with a bank holiday. It's not an excuse, it's a reality because we have the data from when it happened previously.

"What we saw in 2006 was an eight per cent increase on the Saturday [17,642] but a 44 per cent decrease on the Sunday. We've known all along so budgeted for a reduced crowd on the Sunday, but what we saw was much higher demand for the Saturday. Last year we sold out the Premier Enclosure on the day, this year we sold it out on Thursday morning.

"We went into the meeting ahead of ticket sales and came out with 2,265 more people on the Saturday than in 2016, so a 15 per cent increase. On the Sunday we went into the meeting behind and came out behind; we were 30 per cent down on the Sunday.

"The day performed within my spread but probably at the lower half of that spread. Overall the meeting performed ahead of expectations."

Starkey said the track's research showed regulars preferred coming on Sunday when there was a day off the following day.

"I think people are creatures of habit," she said. "The brand of the festival is the weekend with people having the day off after. I've heard people say this year they were coming on the Saturday instead of Sunday because it's not a bank holiday weekend.

"What we'll see next year, as it goes back onto the bank holiday, is a better Sunday. My plan is to maintain those Saturday numbers, and you'll see a marked improvement in the Sunday crowd."

Guineas attendances when no bank holiday

2017

Saturday 19,412

Sunday 10,590

2006

Saturday 17,642

Sunday 9,847

2000

Saturday 19,383

Sunday 13,272*

*coincided with opening of new stand by the Queen