Numbers tuning in to watch racing on the TV are booming, according to recent figures from the BBC and Channel 4
The Grand National attracted 10.1milion viewers to the BBC’s coverage on Saturday, 5 April — the biggest TV audience for the race since 2004.
After a dip in popularity, moving the Grand National to a later time slot of 5pm had been suggested, to increase viewing figures.
But Aintree Racecourse resisted the change and the race attracted its largest TV audience in recent years — at its original 4.15pm time.
The world-famous race rivalled the England v Switzerland football match— Fabio Capello’s first appearance as manager — as the most watched sporting event on the BBC this year.
The FA Cup semi-final, shown live on the BBC before the racing, was watched by only 3.4million.
And in March a record audience of two million tuned in to Channel 4 to watch the Cheltenham showdown between Kauto Star and Denman — over double the amount that watched Kauto Star crowned Champion in 2007.
