Strong showing as ITV audience for 2,000 Guineas almost double on last year's

ITV's viewing figures for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas almost doubled from last year with nearly one and a half million tuning in to see Kameko's breathtaking success in the first Classic of the season.

The peak audience increased from 749,000 to 1,453,000, while the average number of viewers was up from 504,000 last year to 975,000.

ITV's coverage drew 10.4 per cent of the audience share, an increase from 6.6 per cent in 2019.

Friday's card, which was headlined by Ghaiyyath's exceptional win in the Coronation Cup, drew a peak of over 500,000 viewers and averaged around 400,000. This is estimated to be double the figures of a typical midweek broadcast on ITV4.

The high figures come as Britain remains in lockdown and with race meetings kept behind closed doors, with strict limitations regarding who is allowed on course.

The 2,000 Guineas, when in its usual slot on the first weekend of May, usually clashes with Premier League football, the final matches of the English Football League season, the snooker world championship and European club rugby semi-finals.

Broadcasting remotely, Ed Chamberlin anchored Saturday's two-and-a-half-hour broadcast, which featured seven races from Newmarket and Newcastle, and he was delighted that so many tuned in to the ITV coverage.

How ITV Racing roared back to life from a Crouch End bedroom

Chamberlin said on Sunday morning: "I'm fully aware that everything's worked in our favour in terms of viewers, with the country in lockdown and Saturday being a freezing and miserable day, but to have doubled the figures is great. I hope people enjoyed it.

"I'm very wary that we've got another day to go but, after all the criticism our sport took after Cheltenham, I hope we got the tone right. I haven't read anything adverse at all, which is arguably one of the most important things.

"We always said we'd be ready to go when racing was ready to go and how the technical and the ITV logistical team have pulled this off I have no idea. In truth, presenting has been easy compared to what's been going on behind the scenes. They've done an unbelievable job.

"There' have been great stories and I'm glad we've been able to show the thrill of the sport."

ITV Racing director Paul McNamara directing from a bedroom in his north London home

The biggest story on Saturday was Kameko's success in the 2,000 Guineas. It provided champion jockey Oisin Murphy with his first Classic win and gave trainer Andrew Balding his first Guineas success, 49 years on from his father's famous second place with Mill Reef.

"It was a brilliant story and result for the sport considering how much Sheikh Fahad puts into the sport and for Andrew Balding to do what his father couldn't," Chamberlin said.

"Then of course there's Oisin, he's a golden gem. Racing is so lucky to have him doing what he's doing at such a young age. He's engaging with so many people on social media, which is so healthy, but then he's also been on the [BBC Breakfast] news. Everyone should be looking at what he's doing for the sport on social media because it's just brilliant."

Recap Saturday's action:

A dream comes true for champion Murphy as Kameko lands the ghost town Guineas

Derby hope Waldkonig to miss Epsom after defeat to stablemate Mishriff

Back in blue: Frankie Dettori a Godolphin winner once again on Terebellum

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