'It's massive' - bookmakers thrilled by Royal Ascot move to seven-race cards

Royal Ascot's decision to permanently expand the prestigious meeting has been greeted with approval by bookmakers, with one saying the move was "like having an extra day".

Flat racing's most glamorous week will now feature seven races a day, raised from the traditional format of six, after the Copper Horse Stakes, the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes and the Golden Gates Stakes were firmly fixed to the programme after their debuts last year, when the Covid-19 pandemic created a space for extra races.

The Buckingham Palace Stakes, ditched in 2015 when the Commonwealth Cup came into force, returned last summer and is back for good now, while the Kensington Palace Stakes, 0-105 mile handicap for four-year-old and upwards fillies and mares, is Royal Ascot's latest addition.

Top trainers praise move to expand Royal Ascot to seven races a day

The prospect of more races is a mouthwatering one for layers and Barry Orr of Betfair, which runs a successful exchange and traditional sportsbook, said: "It's massive. Having 35 races instead of 30 is like having an extra day and from a bookmaking perspective it's such a significant move in terms of growing the event.

"For example, from an exchange point of view I think we average £1.5 million to £2m pre-race at Royal Ascot, and the meeting is well able to take an extra race; six was probably on the shy side anyway.

"It's a really positive move for racing and the levy."

That view was echoed by Simon Clare, Ladbrokes Coral's PR director, who said: "Ascot's decision to continue with seven-race cards at the royal meeting is to be applauded as our experience from last summer shows it will deliver incremental growth to turnover over the week, and generate increased revenues from betting to racing."

Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes fared well with punters last yearCredit: Edward Whitaker

The St James's Palace Stakes had the most turnover in Ladbrokes and Coral shops when it was temporarily moved to the Saturday last year and Clare added: "While the new races added last year were among the poorest performers in betting terms, that was to be expected as they were positioned in the weakest slots without the boost of ITV coverage, and, because they are new, they have no heritage yet with betting customers.

"They still delivered decent levels of additional turnover, with the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes performing best as the 19th best-betting race of the week of the 36 races, and you'd expect them all to perform better as they become established.

"Royal Ascot is already the biggest week of betting in the Flat season, and the permanent addition of five competitive betting races across the five days is great news all round."

More on the Royal Ascot announcement:

'I can't see any negatives at all' – owners and jockeys happy with Ascot changes (Members' Club)

Comment: so many reasons to believe more will be merrier at Royal Ascot (Members' Club)

The reshaped landscape of the 2020 Flat season meant a tweak to the royal meeting's running order and many of the extra races, which included consolation contests for the Hunt Cup and Wokingham that have not been kept, opened the cards, but were not screened on ITV.

Ascot will revert to its traditional schedule this summer, but ITV was not able on Monday to reveal any plans for its broadcast.

Read more Royal Ascot stories from yesteryear . . .

Dettori crowned top jockey at Royal Ascot as huge treble makes bookmakers sweat

Sensational Stradivarius seals third Gold Cup with ten-length win under Dettori

Coventry hero Nando Parrado the biggest-priced Royal Ascot winner ever at 150-1

Third time lucky: brilliant Battaash lands elusive King's Stand win in style

Watford striker suspended following fight at Royal Ascot on Friday

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