Fontwell to compensate customers after Thursday card attracts just 36 runners

Racegoers who booked advance tickets for Fontwell's fixture on Thursday are to be offered a complimentary ticket for a future raceday in response to poor field sizes across the seven-race card.

Just 36 runners are set to appear at the West Sussex track, with four races featuring four runners or less, as alarmingly small field sizes continue to prove problematic in Britain, particularly in jump racing.

Compensation due to lack of runners is thought to be the first of its kind. Advance tickets were available for £17 while tickets currently for sale on the Fontwell website cost £22. Car parking in the centre of the course costs an additional £10.

Fontwell Thursday card

In contrast Thursday's card at Clonmel, in Ireland, has 117 declared runners across eight races and admission is priced at €15 (£12.80).

Average British jumps field sizes so far this year are the lowest since BHA records began in 1995, at 7.87. In no other year has this number dropped below eight.

More than a quarter of all jumps races in Britain this year (26.87 per cent) have had fewer than six runners, the highest figure on record.

'We've had no meaningful rain'

The same Fontwell fixture attracted 46 runners in 2021. The ground, currently good, is the same.

"It's disappointing," said clerk of the course Philip Hide. "There's plenty of work that goes into a raceday, especially at this time of year when we've had no meaningful rain for a long period of time. We can only do our best.

"I was slightly disappointed with the reaction to the ground when we raced last week. I felt myself that it sticked and walked very well. I was happy with it, but a few of the jockeys said it rode a little bit quicker.

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"I strongly believe it was good ground and the times were all slow and maybe vindicated my thoughts but how it rides does have an effect. Having been a jockey, I can fully understand it doesn't always ride how it walks."

On Friday there are two four-runner races at Aintree, where ticket prices start at £20, while the cheapest enclosure is £12 at Newton Abbot's Wednesday fixture, where the average field size was 7.14.

Read more on this subject:

'Failed races' on the increase as low field sizes continue to blight jump racing

'Clearly a shame' –first day of Guineas meeting attracts just 42 runners

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