Survey reveals winning or being placed is more important than money to trainers

Winning is worth more than money. That was the key finding of a survey undertaken by the Racecourse Association among members of the National Trainers Federation in an initiative aimed at helping racecourses to improve the experience for trainers and owners.

The survey revealed the ability to win or be placed in a race outranks prize-money on offer by around 70-30 as the main motivation for trainers in deciding where to run.

"Seventy per cent of trainers stated the ability to win or gain a place in a race was their primary reason for running, whilst 30 per cent stated it was the prize-money available. I was surprised that prize-money wasn’t more of a priority, but trainers are true competitors who want to win," said Matthew Taylor, RCA racecourse services executive.

He added: "That's not to underestimate the significance of prize-money, but the figures suggest that trainers want to get a win, whether it’s for the owner, or for the staff or to improve their reputation and business."

The questionnaire was split into four categories – the factors in the decision to run, prize-money, track and going, and racecourse communication and facilities.

The findings of the survey did not surprise Rupert Arnold

The findings did not surprise Rupert Arnold, chief executive of the National Trainers Federation, who initiated the survey after a conversation with RCA chairman Maggie Carver.

Arnold said: "The main conclusion matches our own experience and what trainers tell us about race-planning issues.

"There has been a change in attitude from trainers, which reflects their owners’ attitudes. The days when owners just accepted their fate, that their horses weren’t going to be competitive until they got into handicaps, are starting to get behind us.

"It's so expensive to have a horse in training and to send them to the races that they don't want to have no chance of finishing in the money until they can get into a handicap.

"Trainers tell me that owners don't like going to the races to be out of the back door, but want a sense of being able to see the horse being competitive and have a shout at some prize-money."

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