Leading layers upbeat despite ten per cent drop in Galway ring turnover

On-course betting turnover at the Galway festival fell by ten per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels but leading layers were encouraged by the marquee meeting's trade considering a 9.6 per cent drop in attendances.

A total of €6.1 million went through the Ballybrit betting ring last week, down from €6.8 million in 2019 at the last Galway festival with unrestricted crowds.

On-course activity on Wednesday and Sunday increased compared to three years ago, while turnover appeared steady on Tuesday and Thursday, but the biggest damage was done when heavy rain arrived for Friday and Saturday.

Friday's card, which is typically the busiest day of trade across the week, was down 34 per cent in comparison to 2019, while Saturday experienced a similar decrease of 30 per cent.

However, Tote figures for the meeting, which incorporate on and off-track betting, were up 20 per cent compared to the last festival with unrestricted crowds three years ago. The Tote's on-course trade rose by eight per cent.

Ballybrit crowds: down 9.6 per cent compared to the last Galway festival before the pandemicCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

As racegoers retreated indoors from the rain on Friday and Saturday, Tote operators took full advantage by recording an aggregate figure of €1.6 million across the two days – up 37 per cent against 2019 figures.

Brian Graham of leading bookmakers Seam Graham believes the overall betting ring figure for 2022 stood up well considering the general landscape, with Horse Racing Ireland statistics for the first six months of 2022 showing a drop of 10.2 per cent in on-course bookmaker turnover compared to 2019.

"I think Galway did a massive job last week," said Graham. "If Friday and Saturday were dry I think those figures would have been on a par with 2019. I think that's an extraordinary effort given the pandemic, the talk of a recession, the cost of living crisis and everything else. I think Galway have done really well to get it even close to before the pandemic."

Tote Ireland general manager Ross Kierans said: "Things have started to normalise for us as we've entered the summer. People have been returning to the track, betting online and channels have been opening up abroad too. Galway has been a standout week for us this year."

Prominent layer and Irish National Professional Bookmakers Association chairman Ray Mulvaney described himself as "reasonably happy with the level of business" at the seven-day spectacular, while Graham suggested turnover was also impacted by only three favourites winning across the first 41 races of the festival.

Punters celebrating at Ballybrit after La Hacienda won at 10-1 on FridayCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"The big plus to Galway is mixed cards," Graham added. "We used to have many more meetings with Flat and jump racing and people do enjoy them, but our mixed days are now disappearing.

"If you want crowds to come back you have to give them a product they're keen on and for it to be affordable – Galway is doing both of those things."

Coverage of the first four days at Ballybrit was featured on terrestrial broadcaster RTE and audience share percentages held strong against last year's figures.

There were increases to the average audiences of day one (124,000 from 110,000 last year) and day two (119,000 from 109,000). Averages fell over the next two days from 124,000 and 109,000 in 2021 to 117,000 and 70,000 this year.

However, the audience share rose to 20 per cent (from 15) for the Thursday broadcast, mirroring similar increases over the first two evenings.

Read more from the Galway festival:

Galway boss 'far from disappointed' despite 9.6 per cent drop in festival crowds

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