sport

Small rise to 2013 fixtures

Eight meetings have been added to the 2013 fixture list by the British Horseracing Authority.

A total of 1,464 fixtures will be held next year, with the move of Chepstow's Welsh National meeting to a Saturday to accommodate Channel 4 the most noteworthy change.

BHA chief executive Paul Bittar said: "The BHA's responsibility is to provide a framework of fixtures that enables British racing to fulfil its commercial potential while driving our international position of delivering high-quality racing of great variety throughout the calendar year.

"The process by which the 2013 fixture list has been compiled has been more structured and inclusive than previously, and this is seen as a positive within the sport.

"While acknowledging the constraints placed upon the sport due to a slight reduction in the number of horses in training, for 2013 we have sought as far as possible to meet the needs of horsemen and the demands of our varied customers.

"The fixture list is structured to generate the optimum amount of revenue for British racing, which in turn should deliver increased returns to horsemen.

"The sport's central funding model remains in need of significant reform, but other metrics point to a sport in good health and demand.

"We're coming off the back of a year of record racecourse attendances in 2011, and 2013 marks the dawn of an exciting new era as Channel 4 take over the reins as the sport's exclusive terrestrial broadcaster, covering 90 days of racing a year."

There will be 890 Flat fixtures, compared with 876 this year, and 574 over jumps - a drop of six from 2012.

Bittar said: "Any increase in the overall number of fixtures has the potential to impact on field sizes in view of a slightly reduced horse population.

"Ensuring competitive field sizes will be a challenge but, where necessary, we're prepared to make changes to our racing and handicapping policies to assist this.

"We remain confident of agreeing terms on the 52nd Levy Scheme in advance of the October 31 deadline.

"This confidence has enabled us to publish the entire fixture list for 2013, without the need to hold any fixtures or details back.

"In future, we would like to develop a fixture funding model that provides greater incentives for racecourses to enhance returns to horsemen by meeting the demands of the betting industry.

"A key challenge is to increase the income the sport generates centrally through betting, and demonstrating an appetite to meet the commercial demands of our customers will help us to deliver that objective.

"A fixture list of this size would also benefit significantly from much greater product differentiation.

"Ideally fixtures would be classified according to their value and customer appeal, and in a manner that is simply understood by both genuine fans of the sport and the everyday punter.

"This will be a challenge but it is a concept that we intend to develop."

Other notable additions to the calendar include a twilight fixture on the Tuesday of the Cheltenham Festival and extra afternoon meetings on the Tuesday of Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood.