The Japan Racing Association (JRA) have recorded betting turnover growth for the fourth consecutive year partly due to a surge in racing interest from women.

With Nanako Fujita, the first female JRA Apprentice Jockey in 16 years, gaining nationwide superstar status and drawing huge crowds, interest in horse racing by new fans and turnover are expected to continue on an upward spiral in 2016.

Total turnover for 2015 was ￥2,588,691,862,100 ($USD 21.5 billion), up 3.6% on 2014. Racecourse attendance numbers also jumped to 6,317,073.

Off Course betting continues to increase and contributed 96% to the total turnover in 2015 compared with 92% back in 2006 and 67% in 1980.

Turnover peaked in 1997 at a whopping Yen 416,977,763,400 ($USD 34.6 billion) spring boarding off a modest 1980 figure of Yen 1,360,786,588,400 ($USD 11.3 billion approx).

The increased turnover in 2015 can be attributed to two main areas of promotion, according to a JRA spokesman.

The number of women interested in racing has increased greatly  through JRA’s high profile UMAJO program. This promotion has also resulted in an overall surge in newcomers (both male and female) to racing.

Also concentrated heavy mainstream promotion of the JRA’s two biggest G1 races for the year, the mid-year Japan Derby and year ending Arima Kinen resulted in an increased interest in racing and increased turnover overall the spokesman said.

Obviously the high quality, competitive racing featuring amazingly bred horses with massive betting pools helped as well!

Integrity is also a key to the JRA’s success with only one, yes 1 (one) substance issue in the past 23 years.  Filly Pink Bouquet in 2014 with elevated caffeine levels after winning at Nakayama (as the result of contaminated imported feed from the USA) being the only blemish.

The statistics also include the numbers of runs per horse and the average number of runners per race. A punter’s perfect 14.7 runners per race in the main 3yo+ category was achieved.

The Japanese punter’s betting habits in an uncontaminated, Bookmaker free environment are also interesting. Trifecta betting, which only commenced in 2002 accounted for a huge 53% of the total turnover in 2015.

Different strokes.

The following table (JRB) compares the punting habits of Japanese on their biggest race, the G1 Arima Kinen which is all totalizator and Australia’s biggest race, the G1 Melbourne Cup where old world Bookmakers coexist with the totalizator, or totalizators to be accurate – astonishingly, there are several.

Both races attract the once-a-year punters.

(Tatts Melbourne Cup pool used)

On the Breeding side of the JRA statistics there were 6840 thoroughbreds born in Japan in 2015, consistent with the numbers for the past four years (6884 in 2014, 6825 in 2013 and 6819 in 2012).

The world’s leading sire, Deep Impact, topped the JRA rankings again in 2015 with 205 individual winners producing a total of 317 wins. 2015 progeny earnings were Yen6,966,620,000 ($USD57.8 million) in Japan alone.

Only 3 foreign stallions were imported into Japan in 2015. Overall there were 68 imported stallions standing in Japan from a total Stallion pool of 223.

Interesting to note that in the year 1990 alone there were 24 foreign stallions imported, and at that time 248 of the 589 total standing were imported. 9225 foals were born.

As the JRA have strategically developed their own stallions, mostly the progeny of previously imported stallions, the need to import has obviously diminished.

Currently major Japanese breeders are looking to export stallions. The placement of  Deep Impact’s international G1 winning son Real Impact in Australia could be a major sign of things to come, although there is possibly there will be too many G1 winning sons of Deep Impact to successfully place!

Japan’s favorite horse, the quirky 6yo Gold Ship, retired at the end of  2015 after winning the G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) and G2 Hanshin Daishoten during the year.

His 2015 earnings elevated him to the number 3 position on the Lifetime Earnings in Japan chart, up from number 7 in 2014.

Looking forward to his progeny destroying racetracks in a couple of years.

Overall the statistics reflect the healthy state of racing in Japan and highlight that JRA continued to thrive and gain more fans in 2015.

In 2016 JRA have stated that they will continue to push their product to newcomers, women in particular as well as ongoing heavily promotion of their major G1 races.

JRA will also introduce international race betting for the first time in their 62 year history, and this will add immensely to the overall racing and lifestyle package they offer to the public in Japan.

From a rank and file punter’s angle the JRA did a fantastic job in 2015. They provided high quality, squeaky clean racing  supported  by the world’s biggest betting pools (thankfully without Bookmakers). They only charge $2 to get into the races with a race book included. Lots of giveaways, great food and entertainment.

The racetrack has become an appealing place to a much broader section of the community and the vibe on race days is awesome. Non race days are also fun as JRA utilise their tracks to the benefit of the whole community. The tracks are a public utility after all.

Perfection by the JRA? Nope, not yet, long way from it but they are getting closer every year.

Signing off with two JRA Brand Commercials below, one for the punters and one for the newcomers!

Happy punting.