The horse racing and breeding industry in Ireland experienced year-on-year increases in attendances, commercial sponsorship, and on-course betting in 2024, pointing to another robust year. Prize money increased by 2.6% to €69.9m, with commercial sponsorship rising by 7.9% to €6.8m. Irish-trained horses performed well overseas, winning over €9.2m in prize money in the rest of the world.

While attendance figures for the first six months of 2024 were slightly behind the previous year due to weather and fixture disruptions, the end of year figure increased by 0.5%. Total on-course betting, including Tote, rose to €84.1m, with bookmaker betting increasing by 5.6% to €73.7m. The total number of active owners rose by 0.9% to 4,741, with a marginal increase in the number of horses in training.

Despite challenges such as weather disruptions affecting fixtures and entries, the overall figures for the Irish racing and breeding industry in 2024 remained strong. Attendance figures held up well, and betting figures recovered throughout the year. The industry continues to face challenges but remains resilient and successful.