Debenhams July Festival attendances highest since covid

Crowds were up on all three days of the Debenhams July Festival, with attendances the highest they have been at the event since Covid.

A total of 36,591 people visited the track across the three days, a 6% increase on numbers at the festival in 2024.

A crowd of 14,426 on Thursday's Ladies Day, was followed by 7,461 on Festival Friday and 14,704 on July Cup Saturday. Not only was the overall attendance the highest at the July Festival since Covid but so too was each individual day.

Sophie Able, Newmarket Racecourses and International Director, said: "It's been fantastic to see so many people out enjoying the sunshine, the racing, our range of different hospitality offerings and the post-racing music over all three days.

 "The weather we're seeing at the moment opens up people's options in terms of what they can do with their free time, but I think these three days have shown what a fantastic sport we have and what a compelling, exciting and entertaining spectacle British racing can put on for people from all walks of life.

 "Huge congratulations to all the winning connections this week, especially the Godolphin team who won an incredible eight of the 21 races staged over the three days and Richard Hughes whose success in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup was his first Group One victory as a trainer.

 "I'd also like to thank all of our partners, especially our headline sponsor Debenhams, the Kingdom of Bahrain, bet365, Tattersalls and Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai, whose first July Cup as sponsor provided one of the most thrilling finishes of the week."

Able also paid tribute to her racecourse team for delivering a successful Debenhams July Festival.

She said: "The whole team here have worked so hard to promote the event, get the site looking fantastic in such challenging and hot conditions and running the three days so smoothly.

 "Andrew Morris, our Clerk of the Course, and our Head Groundsman, Alan Hatherley, and all the grounds team deserve huge praise for the dedication and long, long hours they have put in this week and over the last few weeks to keep the course in such great condition, both visually and in terms of maintaining all the facilities for our participants.

 "They've been out preparing and watering the track at all hours of the day and night and so much of this week's success is testament to what they do."