'This is worse than normal' - bookmakers 'bored' by low York attendance

On-course bookmakers at York joked they were left "bored" by a lack of trading on the opening day of the Dante festival, where the below-par attendance continued a pattern of falling crowds at British racecourses.

An official attendance could not be taken due to a technical problem, according to York, but officials said it was expected to be down from the figure of 9,554 in 2019 – the last time crowds were permitted at the Dante meeting.

Several showpiece British racedays have had a marked drop in crowds since pandemic restrictions were eased last summer. Last week's Chester May festival attracted a total of 34,900 across the three days, down significantly from 55,344 in 2018 and 53,414 in 2019.

Bookmaker Keith Johnson has been betting at York for 30 years and his son Richard Johnson, who was standing at the family pitch on Wednesday, said: "It's always a quiet meeting but this would be worse than normal.

"In the last month that's tended to be the pattern in midweek. Midweek is going backwards and that may just be the way of the world.

York Dante meeting Wednesday attendances

2022 Not available yet due to a technical issue
2019 9,554
2018 8,783
2017 8,274
2016 8,891
2015 9,899
2014 9,093
2013 8,304

"It's down on last year and I half expected that was going to be the case. If it had been a Saturday and it had been down I'd have been more worried than I am about Wednesday. Thursday will get better and Friday will be better again."

A trader for White Sunderland, one of Britain's leading on-course firms, said turnover was down roughly 30 per cent from 2019, with the cost of living crisis named as a reason behind a lack of punting interest.

"I've never been as bored in my life," said a White Sunderland representative standing at York. Speaking to ITV Racing, he added: "It's been terrible, very quiet. Look, who wants a bet?

"The biggest meetings here are the Saturdays when there's no football on. All over, the midweek meetings have been quiet. People are beginning to realise they have to save money. I'd say we'd taken about 30 per cent more [on the Dante meeting in 2019]."

Frankie Dettori, who rode Emily Upjohn as part of a double, said: "The first day at Chester was quiet, I wasn't there on ladies' day [Thursday] and the third day was quite still.

"The weather wasn't great, though. We've only just started – let's see what happens at Ascot and the big festivals."

Trainer John Gosden was more upbeat. He said: "It's a good atmosphere. Not only are they passionate but they're a very knowledgeable crowd. You've got to have your wits about you. They'll come along and start talking about a pedigree, they're back in the fourth generation and you're scratching your head. They know their horses."

York chief executive William Derby said: "Our pre-sales were up two per cent coming into today, six per cent up tomorrow and eight per cent on Friday."

James Brennan, head of marketing and sponsorship, said: "The showers this morning will have put off a few picnickers. Nobody knows whether those advance bookers are normal walk-ups who've got more organised, because Covid taught them to be."

Dante set to be run on good ground

The ground is set to remain officially good for the second day of the York May meeting, which features the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes.

Derby, also clerk of the course, said on Wednesday evening: "We're happy with the times and the reports and the ground remains good. We're moving the rail from the nine-furlong to the four at the entrance to the straight out by three metres tonight.

"We had 0.4mm of rain this morning and there are showers about tomorrow."

Among those riding at York on Wednesday, Harry Davies described it as "good ground, a little loose on top," and Rowan Scott said: "It's beautiful ground, just on the easy side." Gosden felt it was "a touch slow".

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