After the first quarter, we'll publish our first complete analysis of the sport's performance in 2024. This may provide early indicators of the fixture list aims we presented last November.
Our latest racing data study reveals a promising trend in race competitiveness. At Core events, we observed that 73% of Flat races had at least eight runners, a significant increase from 68% in 2023. This is a level we haven't seen since 2007, indicating that the all-weather has been consistently delivering competitive winter racing.
Jumps have gotten more challenging, as documented. At Core fixtures, 47% of races had eight racers, down from 52% last year and 49% in 2022. At Premier matches, 56% of races had eight or more runners, up from 61% last year and 52% the year before.
Despite an 8% decrease in event volume and race programme adjustments, competition levels remain below what Jump racing needs to sustain its consumer appeal today and in the future.
Addressing this issue requires a comprehensive approach with both short-term and long-term actions. Given the 2.8% decrease in total horses-in-training from last year, it is clear that a coordinated sport-wide campaign to promote racehorse ownership is not just beneficial but essential for the future sustainability of Jump racing.
We should also admit that field sizes were affected by extraneous causes. The damp start to 2024 has hurt competition, with 78% of Jump fixtures running on soft or heavy ground. That compared to 43% in 2023 and 44% in 2022. Since so many races were raced on thick, cold terrain, we must travel back to 2018.