Depending on how you look at it, British racing can be said to be in quite a good place right now. We have just finished the jumps racing season, and, by all accounts, interest is on the rise. ITV’s Cheltenham coverage, for instance, was up again in 2025, with the broadcaster keen to highlight that younger fans were tuning in. That demographic is key to the future of British racing, both in terms of fandom and participation.  

And yet, there are reasons to suggest you can’t take this recent uptick in Cheltenham viewership for granted, not least due to the fact that jumps racing tends to be more focused on the destination (Cheltenham, the Grand National) and not the journey itself. By that, we mean that ITV might be reeling in millions of viewers for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but there is a long season before we get there, and viewers on ITV and Racing TV certainly aren’t counted in millions.  

Jumps Season Weighted Towards Cheltenham and Aintree  

Indeed, while the focus on big races is natural, there is a sense of too much emphasis on the blue-chip meetings. That goes for flat racing, too. Moreover, there has been some suggestion that good horses are being held back, avoiding meetings, as the only thing that seems to matter is a big festival victory. The decline in quality of the King George VI chase in recent years is a testament to that.  

Yet, there are many discussions ongoing on how to revitalise the racing season as a whole. One idea that has been floated is the introduction of an American-style Road to the Kentucky Derby system. That basically works as a series of qualifying races, allowing horses to earn points. There is a league table, with the top 18 gaining the right to enter the Kentucky Derby. It allows bettors to track candidates across the season, evaluating horse racing odds as candidates come to the fore. Yet, more importantly, it engages fans long before the Run for the Roses takes place.  

A system like the Road to the Grand National would not have to be fully like for like with what happens in the US, but there is merit in formalising qualification. Today, there is interest in Grand National declarations, but a transparent points-based system would build interest in the races in the months leading up to the Aintree showcase in April.  

Australia Drives Engagement for All-Star Mile 

Another interesting idea comes from Australia and takes the opposite approach to a points-based qualifying system – fan voting. The All-Star Mile, which is now one of the most popular horse races Down Under, selects runners for the race based on a public voting system. There are social media campaigns for some horses, driving engagement with the public. It’s not a great leap to say that this idea would be popular with younger fans in the UK. 

There are certainly other challenges for British racing right now, not least the dominance of Irish trainers, notably Willie Mullins, across the national hunt season. And on a more technical level, racing bosses are worried about taxation on bookmakers, with new proposals from the Labour Government potentially hitting funding for racing operations.  

Yet, the future of the sport – all sports – relies on renewal of interest by bringing in new generations of fans. Despite competition for their attention, British racing and its associated partners have done a fair job of engaging the next generation of fans, but there is always room for more. Bringing in new concepts could freshen up the quotidian grind of British racing across the year, bearing fruit for the health and prosperity of the sport for years to come.