Horse racing is enjoying a resurgence across the UK and even overseas right now. Attendances have returned to 2019 figures, there seems to be even more of a spotlight on the major festivals, and the sport seems to have re-entered the water cooler conversation. Interest and involvement in horse racing is rising at a decent pace.
It’s at times like these when stakeholders should look for ways to capitalise on the rising levels of interest. Racecourses can put on special events and pricing promotions to spur further interest, as Fakenham is for Season Opener Raceday, and big names in the sport can leverage their notoriety to utilise other kinds of fan engagement.
Fakenham Favourite Could Take Centre Stage
Winner of the 2021 McCoy’s Leading Trainer Award upon its long-anticipated return to the schedule in 2021, Stuart Edwards has become one of the most popular trainers to frequent Fakenham Racecourse. Much of this, of course, is down to the success of his horses over the years.
Despite being based near Milton Keynes, his trips to Norfolk have paid dividends time and time again. To open June this year, it was announced that Edmunds had secured the best winning record here. From 65 runners, he’d secured 23 winners and an almighty 40 places, giving his stable a 62 per cent strike rate.
He may not be as nationally renowned as the likes of Willie Mullins, Paul Henderson, or Gordon Elliott, but he’s certainly done enough to be both recognisable and backed by fans at the right tracks. His position in the racing world could make him the ideal pick for a push into the wider entertainment space.
Expanding Horse Racing’s Presence Beyond the Track
Entertainment platforms have become a path for sports to grow their presence beyond the live events. Take Formula One, for example. Many credit its surge in popularity to the fly-on-the-wall series Drive to Survive. Already, horse racing is making its way into different entertainment arenas.
Among the collection of games with jackpot spins, you’ll spot Big Bass Return to the Races. It’s a part of the ever-popular fishing slot series, but has arrived to get in on the surge in popularity of horse racing. On the same platform, you’ll also spot the Frankie Dettori range of games, including Frankie Dettori’s Jackpot Roulette.
Any prominent trainer or jockey with a desire to explore this part of entertainment could do so with an officially branded slot game. It’d just take teaming up with a world-class studio to get the ball rolling. Alternatively, they could allow their stable to become the focus of a behind-the-scenes look from a docu-series.
Horse racing has enjoyed a few run-outs in this kind of formula. Horsepower on the BBC, Jockeys on Animal Planet, Champions Full Gallop on ITV, and Race for the Crown on Netflix give people the kind of engaging and exclusive look at the sport that many would never get to experience.
With horse racing powering forward, getting a docu-series team to follow a trainer like Edwards through the highs and the lows of a season could prove very popular, as could a dedicated game from the stable. Importantly, the sport is running hot right now, and more figures from within should look to capitalise on this opportunity.
Content provided by Peter McNeile
