British and Irish Flat races have averaged 9.26 runners in 2026 so far, against 9.47 in 2016, while jumps races averaged 8.93 runners in 2025/26.Sample: 6,813 Flat races in 2026 · Window: 2016 to 2026 Flat; 2016/17 to 2026/27 jumps · Source: RaceWatch results database and declarations (GB and IRE)
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Runners per race by Month
Average field size by jumps season
| 2026/27 (to date) | 9.04 | 1,659 | 7.19 | 11.64 | ||
| 2025/26 | 8.93 | 5,065 | 7.89 | 11.34 | ||
| 2024/25 | 9.38 | 5,156 | 8.36 | 11.76 | ||
| 2023/24 | 9.06 | 5,013 | 8.13 | 11.26 | ||
| 2022/23 | 9.08 | 5,265 | 7.99 | 11.87 | ||
| 2021/22 | 9.27 | 5,586 | 8.09 | 12.28 | ||
| 2020/21 | 10.06 | 4,814 | 9.21 | 11.97 | ||
| 2019/20 | 9.34 | 4,395 | 8.49 | 11.45 | ||
| 2018/19 | 9.43 | 5,377 | 8.59 | 11.68 | ||
| 2017/18 | 9.07 | 5,105 | 8.28 | 11.13 | ||
| 2016/17 | 9.29 | 5,384 | 8.44 | 11.66 |
British and Irish jumps races (hurdles, chases and bumpers), seasons follow the official British and Irish dates. Field size = runners that took part (non-runners excluded). Current season to date.
Jumps field sizes by month: this season v last season v ten-season average
| May | 8.75 | 9.31 | -0.6 | 8.49 |
| June | 8.62 | 9.23 | -0.6 | 8.52 |
| July | 10.21 | 9.92 | +0.3 | 9.96 |
| August | 9.74 | 9.76 | -0.0 | 9.69 |
| September | 9.00 | 9.34 | -0.3 | 9.59 |
| October | 8.15 | 9.02 | -0.9 | 8.29 |
| November | - | 9.10 | - | 8.85 |
| December | - | 9.67 | - | 9.07 |
| January | - | 9.37 | - | 9.28 |
| February | - | 8.77 | - | 8.04 |
| March | - | 8.85 | - | 8.91 |
| April | - | 9.59 | - | 9.46 |
Average runners per race. Ten-season average = 2016/17 to 2025/26. Months with fewer than 30 races this season are left blank.
British courses by average field size, jumps, last 12 months
| Cheltenham | 12.29 | 12.49 | -0.2 | 10.73 | 90 | |
| Aintree | 10.51 | 10.76 | -0.2 | 11.16 | 57 | |
| Chepstow | 9.38 | 9.20 | +0.2 | 9.12 | 108 | |
| Newbury | 9.07 | 9.19 | -0.1 | 9.49 | 82 | |
| Ayr | 8.70 | 7.96 | +0.7 | 8.34 | 81 | |
| Taunton | 8.57 | 9.64 | -1.1 | 10.58 | 81 | |
| Worcester | 8.52 | 8.65 | -0.1 | 8.56 | 124 | |
| Newcastle | 8.51 | 7.42 | +1.1 | 9.77 | 77 | |
| Carlisle | 8.48 | 7.49 | +1.0 | 8.34 | 65 | |
| Haydock | 8.42 | 8.05 | +0.4 | 7.91 | 67 | |
| Hexham | 8.31 | 8.46 | -0.1 | 8.86 | 84 | |
| Musselburgh | 8.27 | 8.97 | -0.7 | 9.50 | 51 | |
| Wincanton | 8.20 | 8.10 | +0.1 | 9.80 | 93 | |
| Exeter | 8.18 | 8.50 | -0.3 | 9.18 | 87 | |
| Ascot | 8.11 | 9.28 | -1.2 | 8.27 | 54 | |
| Uttoxeter | 8.09 | 9.55 | -1.5 | 9.02 | 163 | |
| Perth | 8.01 | 7.74 | +0.3 | 7.85 | 99 | |
| Wetherby | 7.94 | 7.59 | +0.3 | 8.94 | 80 | |
| Cartmel | 7.90 | 8.86 | -1.0 | 7.97 | 59 | |
| Hereford | 7.88 | 7.29 | +0.6 | 8.83 | 113 | |
| Windsor | 7.86 | - | - | - | 29 | |
| Kempton | 7.84 | 9.33 | -1.5 | 8.18 | 68 | |
| Ffos Las | 7.80 | 7.47 | +0.3 | 9.10 | 89 | |
| Catterick | 7.76 | 8.40 | -0.6 | 9.64 | 58 | |
| Ludlow | 7.70 | 8.95 | -1.2 | 8.20 | 84 | |
| Bangor-on-Dee | 7.65 | 7.37 | +0.3 | 8.48 | 80 | |
| Kelso | 7.58 | 7.87 | -0.3 | 8.42 | 97 | |
| Huntingdon | 7.58 | 8.28 | -0.7 | 9.25 | 107 | |
| Southwell | 7.40 | 7.96 | -0.6 | 8.94 | 92 | |
| Warwick | 7.32 | 9.12 | -1.8 | 9.33 | 115 | |
| Market Rasen | 7.24 | 7.48 | -0.2 | 8.51 | 127 | |
| Lingfield | 7.22 | 6.63 | +0.6 | 9.68 | 45 | |
| Fontwell | 7.07 | 7.20 | -0.1 | 7.33 | 137 | |
| Stratford | 7.02 | 8.97 | -1.9 | 8.30 | 107 | |
| Sandown | 6.92 | 8.13 | -1.2 | 8.17 | 49 | |
| Doncaster | 6.69 | 9.36 | -2.7 | 9.40 | 77 | |
| Sedgefield | 6.61 | 7.12 | -0.5 | 8.39 | 114 | |
| Newton Abbot | 6.29 | 8.69 | -2.4 | 7.00 | 116 | |
| Leicester | 6.12 | 7.11 | -1.0 | 8.93 | 57 | |
| Plumpton | 6.04 | 7.49 | -1.4 | 8.00 | 105 | |
| Fakenham | 5.42 | 6.80 | -1.4 | 7.14 | 66 |
Races run in the 12 months to 16 Oct 2026 against the same 12 months five and ten years earlier. Minimum 100 runners in the last 12 months. Field size = runners that took part.
Irish courses by average field size, jumps, last 12 months
| Bellewstown | 13.65 | 11.56 | +2.1 | 13.19 | 20 | |
| Galway | 13.38 | 12.47 | +0.9 | 13.44 | 55 | |
| Cork | 12.67 | 11.91 | +0.8 | 12.58 | 84 | |
| Roscommon | 12.29 | 12.23 | +0.1 | 12.53 | 31 | |
| Ballinrobe | 12.04 | 11.51 | +0.5 | 12.02 | 45 | |
| Leopardstown | 12.03 | 10.19 | +1.8 | 13.12 | 59 | |
| Listowel | 12.02 | 10.59 | +1.4 | 13.72 | 49 | |
| Thurles | 11.89 | 10.47 | +1.4 | 11.72 | 66 | |
| Fairyhouse | 11.89 | 11.56 | +0.3 | 12.22 | 113 | |
| Clonmel | 11.82 | 11.17 | +0.7 | 12.57 | 79 | |
| Punchestown | 11.77 | 11.65 | +0.1 | 12.90 | 160 | |
| Kilbeggan | 11.70 | 10.86 | +0.8 | 12.33 | 74 | |
| Navan | 11.67 | 11.00 | +0.7 | 13.79 | 67 | |
| Down Royal | 11.31 | 11.29 | +0.0 | 11.49 | 58 | |
| Killarney | 11.13 | 11.20 | -0.1 | 11.93 | 53 | |
| Naas | 11.05 | 9.67 | +1.4 | 12.60 | 58 | |
| Gowran Park | 10.91 | 11.82 | -0.9 | 11.85 | 46 | |
| Sligo | 10.90 | 9.24 | +1.7 | 10.40 | 50 | |
| Limerick | 10.74 | 9.86 | +0.9 | 12.50 | 111 | |
| Wexford | 10.65 | 10.90 | -0.2 | 10.19 | 104 | |
| Downpatrick | 10.57 | 9.70 | +0.9 | 10.97 | 72 | |
| Tramore | 10.54 | 10.93 | -0.4 | 11.42 | 70 |
Races run in the 12 months to 16 Oct 2026 against the same 12 months five and ten years earlier. Minimum 100 runners in the last 12 months. Field size = runners that took part.
Runners per race by Month
Average field size by Flat season
| 2026 (to date) | 9.26 | 6,813 | 8.80 | 11.49 | ||
| 2025 | 9.35 | 7,886 | 8.89 | 11.54 | ||
| 2024 | 9.57 | 7,833 | 9.14 | 11.56 | ||
| 2023 | 9.54 | 7,745 | 9.06 | 11.79 | ||
| 2022 | 9.47 | 7,711 | 8.90 | 12.07 | ||
| 2021 | 9.54 | 7,952 | 8.94 | 12.31 | ||
| 2020 | 10.07 | 6,323 | 9.54 | 12.25 | ||
| 2019 | 9.86 | 7,598 | 9.42 | 12.14 | ||
| 2018 | 9.54 | 7,784 | 9.20 | 11.37 | ||
| 2017 | 9.58 | 7,569 | 9.22 | 11.54 | ||
| 2016 | 9.47 | 7,437 | 9.17 | 11.11 |
British and Irish Flat races, turf and all-weather, calendar years. Field size = runners that took part (non-runners excluded). Current year to date.
Flat field sizes by month: this year v last year v ten-year average
| January | 8.85 | 9.00 | -0.1 | 8.84 |
| February | 8.61 | 8.75 | -0.1 | 8.65 |
| March | 9.21 | 9.25 | -0.0 | 9.21 |
| April | 9.44 | 9.50 | -0.1 | 9.48 |
| May | 9.37 | 9.48 | -0.1 | 9.12 |
| June | 9.48 | 9.52 | -0.0 | 9.48 |
| July | 8.53 | 9.09 | -0.6 | 8.94 |
| August | 8.92 | 9.16 | -0.2 | 8.89 |
| September | 9.93 | 9.83 | +0.1 | 9.86 |
| October | 10.33 | 10.88 | -0.6 | 9.98 |
| November | - | 10.73 | - | 10.16 |
| December | - | 10.13 | - | 9.41 |
Average runners per race. Ten-year average = 2016 to 2025. Months with fewer than 30 races this year are left blank.
British courses by average field size, Flat, last 12 months
| York | 13.58 | 12.37 | +1.2 | 11.57 | 125 | |
| Ascot | 12.64 | 12.56 | +0.1 | 11.20 | 122 | |
| Doncaster | 10.03 | 10.26 | -0.2 | 9.13 | 178 | |
| Thirsk | 9.94 | 10.06 | -0.1 | 10.39 | 108 | |
| Ayr | 9.66 | 9.63 | +0.0 | 8.85 | 116 | |
| Newbury | 9.65 | 9.62 | +0.0 | 10.04 | 133 | |
| Goodwood | 9.64 | 9.86 | -0.2 | 8.97 | 131 | |
| Redcar | 9.48 | 10.74 | -1.3 | 9.90 | 145 | |
| Kempton | 9.43 | 9.82 | -0.4 | 9.82 | 416 | |
| Newmarket | 9.38 | 10.29 | -0.9 | 8.96 | 131 | |
| Newcastle | 9.32 | 10.51 | -1.2 | 10.01 | 520 | |
| Southwell | 9.28 | 8.33 | +0.9 | 8.11 | 555 | |
| Windsor | 9.19 | 9.03 | +0.2 | 8.73 | 161 | |
| Chester | 8.97 | 8.55 | +0.4 | 7.93 | 109 | |
| Wetherby | 8.86 | 10.93 | -2.1 | 10.67 | 22 | |
| Carlisle | 8.78 | 9.11 | -0.3 | 8.92 | 89 | |
| Bath | 8.77 | 8.82 | -0.1 | 8.53 | 155 | |
| Wolverhampton | 8.72 | 9.18 | -0.5 | 9.40 | 707 | |
| Haydock | 8.62 | 8.92 | -0.3 | 7.58 | 93 | |
| Epsom | 8.59 | 8.87 | -0.3 | 7.88 | 74 | |
| Beverley | 8.47 | 8.86 | -0.4 | 9.20 | 126 | |
| Musselburgh | 8.34 | 8.03 | +0.3 | 8.22 | 116 | |
| Leicester | 8.24 | 8.58 | -0.3 | 8.17 | 126 | |
| Ripon | 8.24 | 8.89 | -0.7 | 7.63 | 109 | |
| Chelmsford City | 8.18 | 8.07 | +0.1 | 8.64 | 152 | |
| Lingfield | 8.14 | 8.15 | -0.0 | 8.70 | 529 | |
| Catterick | 7.99 | 9.21 | -1.2 | 8.87 | 114 | |
| Pontefract | 7.97 | 9.03 | -1.1 | 7.45 | 116 | |
| Salisbury | 7.85 | 8.97 | -1.1 | 8.46 | 100 | |
| Nottingham | 7.80 | 9.01 | -1.2 | 9.02 | 158 | |
| Brighton | 7.79 | 7.79 | 0.0 | 7.73 | 98 | |
| Sandown | 7.73 | 8.68 | -0.9 | 8.22 | 95 | |
| Yarmouth | 7.51 | 7.71 | -0.2 | 8.56 | 168 | |
| Hamilton | 7.47 | 8.01 | -0.5 | 7.58 | 126 | |
| Chepstow | 7.39 | 8.55 | -1.2 | 8.34 | 97 | |
| Newmarket July | 7.23 | 8.39 | -1.2 | 8.05 | 135 | |
| Ffos Las | 7.06 | 7.31 | -0.2 | 7.30 | 89 |
Races run in the 12 months to 16 Oct 2026 against the same 12 months five and ten years earlier. Minimum 100 runners in the last 12 months. Field size = runners that took part.
Irish courses by average field size, Flat, last 12 months
| Punchestown | 13.90 | - | - | 12.88 | 10 | |
| Galway | 13.60 | 11.61 | +2.0 | 13.24 | 45 | |
| Navan | 13.10 | 11.76 | +1.3 | 13.15 | 77 | |
| The Curragh | 12.75 | 12.01 | +0.7 | 13.43 | 192 | |
| Roscommon | 12.33 | 10.24 | +2.1 | 11.53 | 45 | |
| Fairyhouse | 12.22 | 10.69 | +1.5 | 11.94 | 45 | |
| Limerick | 11.81 | 10.95 | +0.9 | 11.76 | 31 | |
| Cork | 11.62 | 10.83 | +0.8 | 12.87 | 69 | |
| Gowran Park | 11.49 | 11.08 | +0.4 | 12.53 | 97 | |
| Dundalk | 11.37 | 10.96 | +0.4 | 12.40 | 324 | |
| Naas | 11.20 | 11.82 | -0.6 | 12.59 | 90 | |
| Listowel | 11.13 | 9.11 | +2.0 | 11.91 | 23 | |
| Leopardstown | 10.93 | 10.12 | +0.8 | 12.26 | 111 | |
| Sligo | 10.86 | 7.81 | +3.0 | 10.93 | 14 | |
| Bellewstown | 10.61 | 10.33 | +0.3 | 11.58 | 38 | |
| Down Royal | 10.33 | 10.36 | -0.0 | 9.60 | 45 | |
| Ballinrobe | 10.09 | 10.14 | -0.1 | 9.73 | 22 | |
| Killarney | 9.53 | 9.57 | -0.0 | 11.46 | 43 | |
| Tramore | 9.13 | 9.38 | -0.2 | 9.38 | 15 |
Races run in the 12 months to 16 Oct 2026 against the same 12 months five and ten years earlier. Minimum 100 runners in the last 12 months. Field size = runners that took part.
Runners per race by Season
Smallest average fields by course, last 12 months
| Fakenham | GB | NH | 66 | 5.42 | 6.80 | |
| Plumpton | GB | NH | 105 | 6.04 | 7.49 | |
| Leicester | GB | NH | 57 | 6.12 | 7.11 | |
| Newton Abbot | GB | NH | 116 | 6.29 | 8.69 | |
| Sedgefield | GB | NH | 114 | 6.61 | 7.12 | |
| Doncaster | GB | NH | 77 | 6.69 | 9.36 | |
| Sandown | GB | NH | 49 | 6.92 | 8.13 | |
| Stratford | GB | NH | 107 | 7.02 | 8.97 | |
| Ffos Las | GB | Flat | 89 | 7.06 | 7.31 | |
| Fontwell | GB | NH | 137 | 7.07 | 7.20 | |
| Lingfield | GB | NH | 45 | 7.22 | 6.63 | |
| Newmarket July | GB | Flat | 135 | 7.23 | 8.39 | |
| Market Rasen | GB | NH | 127 | 7.24 | 7.48 | |
| Warwick | GB | NH | 115 | 7.32 | 9.12 | |
| Chepstow | GB | Flat | 97 | 7.39 | 8.55 |
The 15 course and code combinations with the smallest average fields in the 12 months to 16 Oct 2026. Minimum 100 runners.
Yesterday and today: average field size
| Today (Sat 17 Oct) | GB | 45 | 0 | - | - | 8.27 |
| Today (Sat 17 Oct) | IRE | 15 | 0 | - | - | - |
| Yesterday (Fri 16 Oct) | GB | 32 | 32 | 291 | 9.09 | - |
| Yesterday (Fri 16 Oct) | IRE | 8 | 8 | 100 | 12.50 | - |
Races run count the runners with a result. Declared field sizes are shown only for British races still to run, because Irish declarations in our feed can include horses that will not run.
Every field on member racecards
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What is the average field size in British racing?
British races averaged 8.5 runners in the last 12 months and Irish races 11.6. The season tables split Flat and jumps and give the same figure for every season since 2016.
Are field sizes getting smaller?
Flat fields averaged 9.5 runners in 2016 and 9.3 in 2025. Jumps fields went from 9.3 in 2016/17 to 8.9 in 2025/26.
How many races have fewer than six runners?
In 2025/26, 18.8% of jumps races had fewer than six runners, against 16.1% in 2016/17. On the Flat the share was 9.7% in 2025.
Which courses have the smallest fields?
The smallest-fields table lists the 15 course and code combinations with the lowest average fields over the last 12 months, led by Fakenham at 5.4 runners per race.
Which months have the biggest fields?
The month tables set this season against last season and the ten-season average, so a month running above or below its usual field size stands out.
How big were yesterday's and today's fields?
Yesterday's British and Irish races averaged 9.8 runners. Today's figure updates as each race is run, counting only horses that took part.
Questions people ask
What does field size mean in horse racing?
Field size is the number of horses that take part in a race once non-runners are taken out. RaceWatch counts runners with a result, so declared horses that did not run are not included.
Are Irish fields bigger than British fields?
Irish races averaged 11.6 runners in the last 12 months, against 8.5 in Britain. The course tables show the figures course by course for Flat and jumps separately.
How many jumps races have fewer than six runners?
In 2025/26, 18.8% of British and Irish jumps races had fewer than six runners, against 16.1% in 2016/17. The season table gives the share for every season in between.
Which course has the smallest fields?
Over the last 12 months Fakenham had the smallest average field, at 5.4 runners per race in NH races. The smallest-fields table lists the 15 lowest course and code combinations with at least 100 runners.
How often is the field sizes page updated?
Yesterday's and today's averages refresh through the racing day as results come in. The season, month and course tables update after every racing day.
Does field size change the each way terms?
Standard each way place terms depend on the number of runners, so a smaller field can mean fewer places paid. The RaceWatch guide to each way terms by field size sets out the standard terms.
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