"So it was a testament to the frantic efforts of the grounds team that, albeit more than an hour late, the remaining six races on the card eventually went into the form book. Marquand also revised his earlier decision and rode in the final two races. An abandonment on Thursday would have been a huge blow, both financially and reputationally, to a venue that is still building back having lost its May festival to Covid in 2020 before running behind closed doors a year later."
"The total attendance for the May festival in 2019 was 53,000, but the four meetings since full crowds were restored in 2022 have averaged 34,500. That is a 34% decline, and 44% down on the 62,000 who crammed into the stands and infield 15 years ago. The crowds are coming back, albeit slowly. Louise Stewart, Chester's chief executive, expects a rise of around 6% this year, building on a 10% boost in 2025."
Chester’s May festival meeting ended with A Piece Of Heaven winning the Chester Cup, rounding off the track’s most historic annual race. Earlier on Thursday, the event nearly faced abandonment after riders reported slipping in the opening race and ground staff carried out emergency remedial work. At about 2.30pm, jockeys and trainers inspected the turf on the home turn, and Maureen Haggas scratched Morshdi from the Dee Stakes after Tom Marquand reported the ground as dangerous and stood down. The remaining races were eventually run more than an hour late, and Marquand returned for the final two races. Avoiding abandonment protected Chester financially and reputationally as crowds remain below pre-Covid levels.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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