Successful Grand National and Cheltenham Events Bring the Horse Racing Industry Back to Its Best

If you wanted proof that the horse racing industry is as popular as ever, then the past month’s action at the Cheltenham Festival and the Grand National will have encouraged many who follow the sport.

Spectators flocked to Cheltenham in record numbers, and the Grand National was full to the rafters will fans, along with millions glued to their TVs and devices watching on, no doubt with a betting slip in hand. Horse racing today is in a very healthy state, and this is because thousands of punters are now able to watch the races in person.

Cheltenham Festival 2022

In 2020 the Cheltenham Festival was run to packs of spectators, and it was considered a success but 2021 took place with no spectators at all and was a shell of its usual self.

2022 has been a roaring success. A total of over 280,000 packed into the Cheltenham racecourse over the four days of the festival, and the final day saw Rachael Blackmore become the first female jockey to ride a winner in the Gold Cup. She rode A Plus Tard to victory to top off a marvellous feast of racing, so much so that talk has begun of expanding the festival to five days for future event

Malakahna asserts late to win the Junior Jumpers Membership Fillies' Juvenile Handicap Hurdle!

A nice ride from Charlie Todd for the Ian Williams team 🐎@charliet0dd @ianwilliamsraci pic.twitter.com/qUOg473nnX

— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) April 14, 2022

Grand National 2022

The Grand National, the most popular individual horse race in the worldwide calendar, experienced similar issues to Cheltenham in recent years, and the 2020 event was cancelled.

The 2022 race saw Noble Yeats win the Grand National at amazing odds of 50/1, making the Emmet Mullins trained horse the longest odds for a winner since 2013.

The amount of betting activity on this year’s Grand National overtook all expectations, and no doubt a few bookmakers will be in part happy that a number of favorites failed to finish highly but will have had to pay out a fair amount to those who were brave enough to back Noble Yeats to his astonishing win.

Sky Bet took a massive 1.2 million bets on the race, though it is worth noting that the amount is in line with 2021, and the numbers being at that level could say more about the precarious nature of the economy than it does about interest in the Grand National.



"This year, we had 1.2 million customers bet with us on the Grand National, that's within a thousand or so of 2021. Essentially, we had the same amount as last year, which we're pleased with.” Stated Michael Shinners of Sky Bet.

"What we have found is that stakes were slightly down, but we think that's due to a number of reasons, such as people having less disposable income at the moment.”

"Our turnover was slightly down, but maybe that's the cost of living, maybe people were on holiday with it being half-term for a lot of the country, so they didn't have a bet or much on. We were happy with the Grand National and how it's gone."

One imagines that 2023 will be an even rosier year for horse racing, both for those employed by the industry and those who enjoy a bet or two on the races.