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I’m as much a fan of Southwell as the next man, unless I’m stood next to Maxilon 5 of course, but there seems something wrong about a meeting there on a baking hot sunny day.
Interestingly the provisional average daily attendance in the first four months of 2009 is actually up 5.2% on the corresponding period in 2008.
So the figures do appear to be holding up reasonable well.
Having said that the figures did surprise me a little bit, as my perception at most of the meetings I have been to this year is the crowds have seemed smaller.
I saw that as well pom but I was thinking that in 2008 we lost the Wednesday of the Cheltenham Festival, probably about 50k attendance. When you add that in this year I reckon that accounts for all of the 5.2%
That is a factor agreed – but the 50k from Cheltenham is virtually balanced out by the net 26 meeting defecit from the bad weather in January and February.
That is a factor agreed – but the 50k from Cheltenham is virtually balanced out by the net 26 meeting defecit from the bad weather in January and February.
Are you sure the figures are not Attendances divided by Actual Fixtures.
This used to be the way the RCA presented them…I don’t know if it’s changed.
Agreed DJ. It didn’t seem right somehow today. I’m used to freezing to death there along with a hundred other masochists and this was just odd. It was like being transported to Santa Anita. Plenty there today though – the executive will be pleased.
The major problem isn’t numbers, chaps, imo. A bit of sunshine and racecourses will always be packed to the gills.
Its the demographic
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A ‘Prisoner Cell Block H’ revival group bumping into the ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ Appreciation Society adequately describes todays audience.
A ‘Prisoner Cell Block H’ revival group ………
It must be the same group who were at Leicester yesterday – doing a grand tour of Midlands courses maybe?
I will have to look out for them at Nottingham tomorrow.
agreed Paul , there were busloads of blue rinse at Leicester yesterday , apart from them it was the usual 200 souls who love the gaff as I do
A great day nonetheless
we havent met , but maybe we can bump ino each other tomorrow at Nottingham
cheers
Ricky
Perth got slightly more than expected, helped by glorious weather in Scotland over the weekend. They got 13,000 for the Gold Cup fixture on Sunday.
I’m off to Hamilton for a run-of-the-mill midweek fixture tomorrow, so I’ll be interested to see how the crowd holds up for that.
Weather back to normal today – more suited to Wetherby in November.
Unfortunately I didn’t know this before I got dressed (with curtains drawn), so if you fancy a natter at Nottingham this afternoon I’m wearing flip flops and a white summer shirt and hang around in the Tote bookmakers.
One thing that does baffle me how does York manage to attract 40,000+ racegoers on John Smiths Cup day despite the fact there are no group races on the card. How does Chester manage to attract 40,000 for its one and only sunday fixture in late july despite the quality of racing being not as good as its May meeting. Also Cartmel has no problem attracting racegoers to its Bank Holiday fixtures as well. So why does Nottingham racecourse struggle to attract crowds of 2,000 despite being in a very good catchment area and had very good transport links to the rest of the midlands and the north of england.
I suppose a day out at somewhere like Chester, York or God’s own Cartmel still looks, feels and counts as an Event, where there is something attractive and special (however (in)tangible) about just being there above and beyond the actuality of seeing a few dozen horses run in a circle.
Nottingham is still on my list of courses so I cannot vouch for whether it satisfies on the same level as the aforementioned. Like any course, though, those devotees who love the place doubtless really love it, in the same way I do the likes of Towcester even at its coldest, wettest and emptiest.
gc
Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.
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One thing that does baffle me how does York manage to attract 40,000+ racegoers on John Smiths Cup day despite the fact there are no group races on the card.
It’s brewery sponsored mdw, and they give away loads of tickets in their pubs. One to avoid, unless you like sitting in traffic for half a day.
Weather back to normal today – more suited to Wetherby in November.
Unfortunately I didn’t know this before I got dressed (with curtains drawn), so if you fancy a natter at Nottingham this afternoon I’m wearing flip flops and a white summer shirt and hang around in the Tote bookmakers.
I will see if I can spot you
I’m probably easier to spot – usually with a pair of bins slung over my left shoulder, and more often than not carrying a red clipboard.
Nice one Paul. I spotted GC at Southwell based on a vague inkling so I’ll make myself known if I see you first.
Read your blog many times too. No clue about Rickster though.
GC, my brother went to Cartmel on Bank Holiday Monday and had a cracking time – best trip to the races he’s ever had. I’ve already diaried it in for next year.
Nottingham suffers from low attendances and always has done. They’ve tried everything but nothing seems to work except for the Kilverton meeting and the Saturday nights in July. Yet, the October meetings full of maidens are fantastic backend experiences – Colwick Park seldom looks better – and I try never to miss them.
I can’t rant on enough about how fantastic I think Nottingham is; can’t believe that I have lived in these ‘ere parts for 30 odd years and only went there for the first time a few weeks ago [why oh why did they stop jumping there?]. Southwell is also going to be visited more often, if only for the fact that Southwell itself is a beautiful little place; I love the way that the racecourse and the workhouse are signposted together! If it were not for the close proximity of the river I’d even consider retiring there
It was a very good crowd at Nottingham today – probably the best I have seen non-holiday season mid-week.
It was also good to say hello to Max, although unable to find Ricky.
The winning line at Nottingham is a real bugger though – I am usually pretty good at reading photo finishes but all three today I got wrong.
Cracking to meet you too, Paul.
And a good days racing too. I go to 75% of Nottingham meetings and I can safely agree with you – that was an unusually good crowd today. Keeping the price at a tenner is helping – the same as Southwell on Tuesday.
Moe, I’d like to see jumping back there too. Nottingham must be one of the fairest tracks in the country under both codes.
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