Newmarket card attracts just 43 runners as field sizes continue to plummet

British racing's ongoing battle with poor field sizes is laid bare on Thursday with only 12 of the 35 races attracting eight or more runners to allow for each-way betting on three places and none of the seven races in Newmarket even drawing that figure.

The seven-race card at Newmarket, where the going is described as good, good to firm in places, has attracted just 43 runners. According to the Jockey Club Estates website, 3,000 horses are estimated to be in training in the town alone during the summer.

Last year, the six equivalent races that were staged at the same meeting drew 62 runners, with only two of the races not getting eight runners.

Lacklustre field sizes continue a trend that has developed on the Flat and over jumps since last summer. Races have been attracting record low averages for runners while there has also been a surge in the number of so-called failed races, those attracting fewer than six runners and something regarded as a key metric by the BHA for measuring the health of British racing.

While no races at Newmarket have the required eight runners for each-way betting on the first three, fixtures at Newcastle, Nottingham, Hamilton and Leicester have also been blighted by small fields.

Four of the seven races at Newcastle, Leicester and Hamilton do not have at least eight runners, while five of the seven contests at Nottingham are under that figure, including events with four and five horses running.

A spokesman for the Jockey Club, which owns Newmarket and Nottingham, said on Wednesday: "As always with field sizes it's important to take a broad view as opposed to picking out individual meetings, which can give an impression that is not wholly representative.

"There can be any number of factors at play for individual races and cards and our priority is always to ensure we are providing the best prize-money levels, race programme and racing surface possible to generate competitive racing at our fixtures.

"We have been very clear as the Jockey Club that this is an industry issue that needs addressing urgently."

Salisbury: Wednesday's Bibury Cup drew only three runnersCredit: Edward Whitaker

Thursday's poor turnouts follow on from those on Wednesday in Britain, most notably at Salisbury where only two of the seven races had eight runners or more. The Bibury Cup, a 0-95 handicap for three-year-olds worth a total of £22,000 and won in the past by the likes of future Classic winner Simple Verse, attracted three runners.

Paul Binfield, spokesman for Paddy Power, said: "Small field sizes are certainly not ideal, but at the moment it's something that we've become rather accustomed to and unfortunately nothing new.

"As such, we're being more aggressive with our extra place offering by providing customers now on some ten-runner races."

This month the BHA came under fire from factions with racing, most notably the National Trainers Federation, after ditching its own proposal to remove 300 races from pinch points for small fields as part of the 2023 fixture list.

BHA chief executive Julie Harrington, who received backing from some figures including Ladbrokes Coral head of PR Simon Clare and Middleham Park Racing founder Tim Palin for her decision not to vote for the cuts, said she had made the call "because I want to take a more strategic approach to [creating competitive racing]".

Read these next:

'I want to win it for the boss this time' - Ben Robinson hunting more Plate glory

Coral-Eclipse, July Cup and King George: the summer highlights to savour

Popular Wiltshire point-to-point venue Barbury Castle to close

The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday