Annual racecourse attendance figure in Britain tops five million for the first time since 2019

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Attendance figures for British racing in 2025 were "a cause for optimism for everyone in our sport", according to acting BHA chief executive Brant Dunshea, after more than five million people went racing for the first time since 2019.

As well as a 4.8 per cent increase on 2024 in the total number of people going racing to 5,031,640, the average attendance across the 1,427 fixtures in 2025 jumped by 3.6 per cent to 3,526.

The data, supplied to the Levy Board and analysed by the Racecourse Association (RCA), also demonstrated the significant upturn in spectator levels at British tracks over the festive period, with 331,405 people going racing last month alone, an increase of 8.6 per cent on 2024. 

The RCA said the positive attendance figures were a reflection of racing’s popularity, while also praising efforts from racecourses around marketing, on-course experience, reduced pricing windows and collaborations with local communities and organisers.

The uplift in attendances comes in the aftermath of British racing conducting two major consumer-facing schemes: the national 'Going Is Good' marketing campaign and Project Beacon, a consumer research study of more than 7,500 people designed to understand how the public views the sport.

Dunshea said: “The attendance figures for 2025 are a cause for optimism for everyone in our sport. They represent material growth and demonstrate that there is a significant audience across Britain that enjoys the sport and all the enjoyable elements that make a day at the races such a memorable occasion.

“The figures are testament to the work that has gone into the sport’s industry strategy and the 'Going Is Good' national marketing campaign. Combined with the insights we have gained from Project Beacon, we have seen a whole-of-sport effort to build a bigger, more sustainable fan base for British racing.

“This work continues and we look forward to the opportunities ahead to ensure racing retains its place as a beloved British institution for generations to come.”

The likes of Kempton, Chepstow, Aintree and Newbury reported bumper crowds for their meetings between Christmas and the new year, while 2026 started positively at Cheltenham, where a sell-out attendance of 44,151 went to its meeting on January 1.

Cheltenham: had a record crowd on New Year's DayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Uttoxeter's Summer Cup Chase day was highlighted as a particularly successful meeting in 2025, with an increase of 20 per cent on the 2024 crowd.

Sam Cone, head of communication and public affairs at Arena Racing Company, said: "Arc racecourses welcomed over one million racegoers in 2025, a total increase on 2024 of nearly 15 per cent. We saw positive rises across most areas including general admission and hospitality, as well as a large increase in under-18 tickets.

"It was pleasing to see a number of our feature racedays perform particularly well, with increases across the Jenningsbet Midlands Grand National, Coral Welsh Grand National and Betfred St Leger festival, as well as a generally strong end to the year over the winter and festive period."

Efforts to attract a younger audience to racing also proved successful in 2025, with 211,447 under-18s registered as attending fixtures, a figure which Dunshea said was "especially pleasing to see".

The figure, which is recorded via pre-booked tickets and counts taken on the gate, represents a 17 per cent increase from 2024. The RCA said the number was “likely on the conservative side” as not all racecourses counted under-18s on the gate.

Kevin Walsh, RCA racing director, said: “I'm pleased to see the 2025 annual attendance figures confirm what anecdotal and visual evidence suggested across the year; racecourse attendance has been growing. 

“I'm particularly heartened to see that the racing product itself and the thrill of a day at the races remains so popular with customers at a time when we're competing more than ever with other sports and industries.”

Holistic approach has given British racing a platform to build on

Pictures and reports of tracks bursting at the seams over the festive period in Britain provided strong anecdotal evidence of racing’s pulling power, and so it has proven in the 2025 attendance figures from the RCA.

The notable exceptions of the Cheltenham Festival and Derby aside – and measures have been implemented by the Jockey Club to try to turn around their poor spectator levels from last year – 2025 was a year during which racecourses routinely trumpeted the number of people coming through the gates at levels not seen since before the coronavirus pandemic.

An uplift had started at the end of 2024, but momentum has really built in the last 12 months and is testament to the efforts being put in to promote the sport and offer a compelling reason to go – and return – to the races, with racecourses increasingly focusing on making customers feel better about their day out.

That is things from helpful, friendly staff and clever advertising like Ascot’s ‘The Ascot You’ campaign tapping into the sense of occasion, to offering better service on course and elongating the day to make it much more of an event.

The biggest fixtures generally performed best last year – particularly during the peak summer months – and the sport has already taken steps to try to keep attendees engaged, and draw in others, by undertaking a mass customer insight study known as Project Beacon.

Racecourses and the wider sport will also be pleased with the 17 per cent increase in the number of under-18s going racing in 2025. 

With there being a distinct push to get more youngsters going – and returning – to the races, a platform has been set. It will now be a case of seeing how much the sport can build on it.
Peter Scargill, deputy industry editor

Read more . . .

Festive attendances boom warmly welcomed - but spare a thought for the track left out in the cold 

Christmas attendances boom with Cheltenham attracting bigger New Year's Day crowd than Champion Chase day 

Here was a stunning start to 2026 - and Cheltenham's boss is now 'very confident' about this year's festival attendances 

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