'The feedback has been amazing but I want more people' - HRI chief Suzanne Eade reflects on Irish Champions Festival

Work is under way to attract a bigger crowd to next year's Irish Champions Festival than the 18,984 who attended last weekend, said Horse Racing Ireland chief executive Suzanne Eade.

Eade said she had received "amazing" feedback from those who attended both days this year and was keen to stress the quality of the action on the track should be the benchmark for future festivals. But she does feel there is room for improvement off the track.

She said: "I think we will use 2024 as a benchmark for how good the racing is but I would like to see a bigger number over the weekend. I think there are more we can get. 

"We've already sat down as a team and are thinking about two different-pronged attacks for getting more people to come. What I will say is that those who didn't come this year missed a trick."

When it was put to Eade that Leopardstown is not catching the attention of the people of Dublin, she replied: "We are doing plenty in Dublin, but it's not necessarily landing in the way we'd like it. I think we will reflect on how it's landing. 

"We were all over Dublin in terms of promotion and advertising and I'd like to see how effective some of those campaigners were. What worked? What didn't work? We have got to use this year to find out how we can do things better. I'm a Dub myself and I want to see more Dublin people going racing."

Suzanne Eade: 20,000 racegoers over two days a fair targetCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

Regarding targets for next year, Eade was asked whether 20,000 over the two days was realistic, to which she said: "It's a fair target. We might have a different number in mind, but let me work with the team first before we share a target. I don't disagree, though. We would like to have more people coming on both days. 

"Both tracks worked extremely hard so it's hard to be critical when I know the effort and the planning that went into the weekend. But there are always things we can learn."   

Eade felt there were far more positives than negatives to be taken out of the festival and pointed to the international engagement. She said: "I've had amazing feedback, particularly in relation to the quality of the racing. From an international perspective, what it did was showcase the very best of Irish Flat racing and part of our strategy with this event was that we could be that magnet for the best horses. 

"There was extensive work that went into getting the Japanese horse [Shin Emperor] over. The people from Japan were delighted with the welcome they got. If he goes on to run well in the Arc it will maintain a good relationship into the future. That's really important.

"The Champion Stakes was a phenomenal race and Economics was outstanding to beat the field that he did. I like the fact that over the weekend we had a great spread of winners between different stables. That showed how competitive the industry is."

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