ITV Racing happy with Arc viewing figures despite drop from last year

The ITV Racing team were delighted with the viewing figures for Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe despite the fact they were considerably lower than last year's coverage from Longchamp.

The peak viewing figure on Arc day was 881,000, which was down from the 1.16 million who tuned in to see Enable's final attempt at a record-breaking third win in the European showpiece, while it was also below the 922,000 peak from the year before when the mare was narrowly denied her historic hat-trick by Waldgeist.

The figure fell just below the 2018 peak audience (911,000), but it was well above the 2017 figure, when 829,000 tuned in to watch Enable's first Arc victory.

The average audience viewing figure of 456,000 across the two-and-a-half-hour programme, which was broadcast on ITV's main channel, also fell well shy when compared to 2020 (682,000) and 2019 (558,000), but was slightly above the 2018 and 2017 figures – which were 448,000 and 452,000 respectively.

How ITV's Arc coverage compares to previous years

2021:average - 456,000, share - 6.3%, peak - 881,000
2020:average - 682,000, share - 6.8%, peak - 1.161 million
2019:average - 558,000, share - 6.6%, peak - 922,000
2018:average - 448,000, share - 5.3%, peak - 911,000
2017:average - 452,000, share - 4.6%, peak - 829,000

Regular presenters Ed Chamberlin and Francesca Cumani led the coverage from Ascot alongside Brough Scott and Kevin Blake, with Matt Chapman reporting and Richard Hoiles commentating live from the track, and Chamberlin was pleased with how the coverage had been received.

He said: "We always try and do it justice and we only knew what we were doing eight days before so ITV did very well to get it on the main channel and hopefully we did it justice for the viewers.

Ed Chamberlin: 'There may have been no Enable this year, but there were so many superstars in the race'Credit: Edward Whitaker

"It was a really good figure but a little down on previous years, yet it was still a big number. There may have been no Enable this year, but there were so many superstars in the race. I'm sure those who were watching were still shouting at their TV, but probably saying 'Who?' as Torquator Tasso ran them all down."

He added: "It was a fun day to do on its anniversary and go on a trip down memory lane with Brough. It's always a great occasion, the French know how to do pomp and grandeur with their races so well and it was a terrific running. The only shame was we were only able to show four races and not the other Group 1s as it's such a fantastic card."

ITV Racing's coverage of some of the biggest races across the world does not end with the Arc this year, as the broadcaster will also show all 14 Breeders' Cup races from Del Mar between November 5 and 6.

Chamberlin said: "By showing the Breeders' Cup for the first time as well as the Future Champions Meeting, Champions Day as well as high-class jumps action towards the end of the month, we've got everything covered for everyone."

Read more on the 2021 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe:

Torquator Tasso stuns big-name rivals to spring shock success for Germany in Arc

'If we hadn't had so much rain we'd have won' – Weld rues Tarnawa near-miss

Appleby points to lack of pace after Godolphin challenge comes unstuck in ground

2022 Arc bid possible for Alpinista after Torquator Tasso gives major form boost

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