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British racecourses attracted record crowds in 2011 with aggregate attendances exceeding 6.15 million for the first time, but those numbers disguised a downward trend in jump racing as the average number of racegoers fell.

Turf and all-weather Flat racing cards attracted more paying customers last year than the year before, but while the numbers attending jumps meetings also increased the average slipped noticeably.

Over the year the average attendance at jumps meetings dropped only marginally, from 3,980 to 3,919, but without the uneven measure of December, blighted by poor weather in 2010 but host to an almost unblemished programme in 2011, those numbers took a downward turn, falling from 4,002 in 2010 to 3,857 last year, more than 3.6 per cent.

Despite the figures, racecourse managements remain positive.

Jonathan Garratt, managing director of Cartmel, whose average attendance at their seven meetings dropped by 13.15 per cent to 8,293, said: "I have absolutely no concerns about it. In our case the weather forecast for both bank holidays was very poor and miraculously we got away with it. I don't think there is anything wrong with the jumping product."

His counterpart at Newbury, Stephen Higgins, had similar thoughts. "Flat racing has warm weather on its side and when you're looking for a new audience the weather makes a difference.

"As well as December, January and February were also challenging weather-wise and you only need to lose one or two meetings then for the average to be affected."

Bookmakers maintained another factor, small and uncompetitive fields, could have impacted on the numbers attending jumps fixtures.

Ladbrokes' spokesman David Williams said: "Unfortunately we're seeing too many jumps meetings where there is a plethora of small-runner fields and odds-on favourites. I'm thinking particularly about novice chases at midweek meetings.

"Within an industry that is scrambling for every penny and every pound these are not proving to be appealing to people who are looking elsewhere for their entertainment."

Despite the dip in numbers at jumps meetings, Racecourse Association chief executive Stephen Atkin was delighted with the general increase.

"I'm very pleased to see racecourse attendance on the up for a third year in a row, and to break the previous record is fantastic," he said.

"Financially it is a very difficult time for people at the moment, so it's a vindication of the exemplary work being done on Britain's racecourses that more and more people are enjoying a day out at the races."

24 January 2012