Plans for multi-million euro redevelopment of Galway Racecourse

https://www.irishracing.com/news?headline=Attendance-and-betting-both-down-at-Galway-this-week&prid=193180

There was over 217,000 there in the boom ( 07 )

And even as recently as 2010 and 11 there were over 175,000 in attendance

Huge drops which affects the city and economy, certainly it is one of the easier weeks to get around travel wise, no traffic, and imho has lost a lot of the local crowd

Investment probably essential or it will keep falling.

WallyGUFC wrote: »

I'm sure we'd be well able to rival Slane for nightmare transport problems.

Race week is best week of the year for driving around city, traffic well managed, loads of full buses and the racecourse has all entrances open tunnel, Tuam road side etc. A big concert or fair set up would be great and could be worked well/

From Irish Times

As Wompa says the decline is staggering a 40 % drop in just over a decade
Involved in business in the city and no doubt the week has slumped from a mayhem week to a busy summer one
Was there yesterday and enjoyed it a great day out
But A lot of Galway based friends and colleagues have a negative set against Races due to young ones, boozing, too busy, traffic etc all of which are not really true anymore bar maybe Thurs, which has contributed to slump, along with less visitors in to city

HRI chief unfazed about slip in Galway festival attendance
Brian Kavanagh believes boost in betting ring turnover can be maintained at event
Fri, Jul 26, 2019, 18:18
Brian O'Connor
The Galway Racing Festival: last year’s total attendance fell to 132,691. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
The Galway Racing Festival: last year’s total attendance fell to 132,691. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho


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Irish racing’s top official has defended the public appeal of next week’s Galway festival despite a notable slide in crowd figures over recent years.

At the height of the Celtic Tiger in 2006, attendance levels at the sport’s biggest summer festival reached a peak with an official figure of 216,942 over the seven days. Figures tumbled during the following years of the economic crash but despite the subsequent economic upswing crowd levels at Galway have continued to slip.

A return of 148,564 over the seven days in 2015 was followed by 147,459 a year later. There was a significant drop to 137,682 in 2017. Last year’s total fell again to 132,691. That 2018 festival saw the Friday evening programme usurp Galway Hurdle day as the busiest of the week with 30,159 attending.

That was almost 4,000 more than the Thursday, traditionally the busiest day of the year in Irish racing. It was also a long way ahead of the near 17,000 that attended Wednesday’s Plate fixture.

Punchestown’s concluding “Family Day” festival date became Irish racing’s busiest date last year and a 37,206 attendance at that same fixture in May is likely to see that status repeated in 2019.

Ballybrit action
Horse Racing Ireland statistics for the first half of this year reported a near nine per cent rise in attendance levels overall in Ireland.

That is a pattern HRI’s chief executive believes can be reflected during next week’s Ballybrit action which begins on Monday.

“The numbers going to Galway are huge compared to most other meetings during the year and people go there for a variety of different reasons.

“Comparing Galway with other racecourses is not strictly comparing like with like. There’s a carnival element to Galway, a holiday element. It’s more than a race-meeting in some ways,” Brian Kavanagh said on Friday.


He said he wasn’t concerned about a slip in attendances at Galway and suggested comparisons with Celtic Tiger years are unrealistic.

“I have no fears about Galway. I think what’s happened is that momentum shifts. For example Friday is getting stronger. A lot of people are changing their racing patterns over the course of the week,” he said.

“Galway have done some work on improving their product-offering over the last number of years and I think we will see the effect of that,” Kavanagh added.

Those recent half-year statistics also revealed an 11.5 per cent increase in on-course bookmaker betting so far in 2019. That’s a reversal of a previously remorseless slide in betting ring turnover during the last decade.

Consistent lift
“There’s been a consistent lift. It’s still only modest compared to some years ago, but that’s an old story about the nature of betting changing. I’d be hopeful of Galway. The bookmaker ring is stronger this year than other years,” Kavanagh said.

The HRI boss also said on Friday that the progress of remedial work on Dundalk’s controversial all-weather surface this summer will be kept under review.

The surface came under heavy criticism last Spring with the Trainers Association saying most of its membership had lost confidence in it.

Earlier this week Dundalk officials announced a three month resurfacing project will begin in April of 2020.

It also said 54 tonnes of extra fibre will be added to the current Polytrack by the time racing resumes there this September.

“We would have liked to have seen it [resurfacing] done sooner. But our strong preference is that it’s done right,” said Kavanagh who added that Dundalk have received assurances about remedial work allowing fixtures go ahead as planned this autumn and through the winter.

“They’ve been assured the work they’ll do this summer will be sufficient to get them through the time until they do the work next year. Obviously we will keep that under review,” he added.

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Think it's the other way around, I know very few locals who go. Most wouldn't be arsed, it's too expensive to get in and then have a drink and a bet etc etc. You'd get a couple of nights out for what you'd spend going up there for a day.

20 quid in yesterday for 7 races 4-5 hours day out , Its a good day out , and you can spend what you want. I spent about 30 quid as a well known cheapskate.. . A night and meal out could be 100-quid plus. Same thing really . A big event on the citys door

Galway people dont support local events , for whatever reason , plenty of my friends are of similar view to your good self so I can understand the view, I would not hold it though