Newton in numbers: The stats behind a sensational summer at Newton Races

The season has come to a spectacular end at Newton Abbot Racecourse and the numbers tell a story of success for everyone involved.

John Baker took over as Chief Executive of the course before the beginning of the season, and with help from the weather, he has delivered a superb summer of racing and family entertainment.

From April to October, Newton Abbot has hosted 18 meetings, with 116 races, 750 runners and an average of just under 42 runners at each meeting, which equates to around six-and-a-half runners in each race.

This festival of unscripted drama was witnessed by almost 50,000 spectators and Baker has already charged his dedicated team of staff with the task of surpassing that golden number and aiming toward the diamond target of 60,000. Among that vast number of fans was over 3,000 kids enjoying the thrill of racing.

Part of that thrill for the adults is having a little flutter and over 500 bookmakers pitched up at Newton Races, while the winning horses included 12 trained in Devon, four from the stables of Sue Gardner.

Baker set out his stall from early in the season to improve the prize money on offer, thus attracting top trainers and jockeys to Newton Abbot, and that goal was achieved by more than a £1m dished out to the competitors.

Newton in Numbers
18 meetings held
116 races staged
750 runners
41.66 runners per fixture
6.47 runners per race
46,594 attendees
2,589 average attendance
3,163 under 18s – 176 average per fixture
513 bookmakers – 29 per fixture on average
3,110 visitors who were Owners/Trainers – 173 average per fixture
27,495 racegoers booked in advance – 1,528 per fixture 59% of our total racegoers booked in advance (Baker would like this to be 90% plus!!!)
12 winners were trained in Devon – the most was Sue Gardner with 4 winners
1 winner trained from Ireland – Joseph O’Brien
Other Devon trained winners – Chris Honour 2, Jane Williams 2, Chester Williams 2 and Chris Down 2  
£1,148,978 prize money handed out - £9,904.98 average PM per race.

Add that all together and we have a fabulous 2025 for Newton Abbot Racecourse!