Jump races average fewer than seven runners as field sizes continue to plummet

More than a third of British jump races this summer had five runners or fewer as field sizes across both codes fell to their lowest this century during June, July and August.

There was an average field size of 6.89 runners for jump races during the summer months, dropping to 5.88 for chases.

Races in August alone attracted a combined average on the Flat and over jumps of eight runners per race, with that figure falling to 6.66 for jump contests.