Arena warns on profits from snow cancellations

The group, which owns Doncaster racecourse, said total attendance during the year decreased by 6,000 to 633,000 as seven race meetings had to be abandoned in the final weeks of the year due to heavy snowfall. That compared with just one weather-related abandonment a year earlier.

The total number of weather-related abandonments for the year was 18, up from eight in 2009.

Arena said its three all-weather tracks staged six additional meetings at short notice in December, which made a positive contribution to profits but less than it would have earned had scheduled fixtures gone ahead as planned.

Arena said December's total attendance was 14,000 down than on December 2009, due to abandonments and reduced turnout.

It said profits will be 300,000 to 400,000 lower than management expectations.

Arena added its outlook for 2011 remains unchanged and is based on 353 scheduled fixtures.