The roar of the crowd. The colour in the stands. The joy of being part of something live. Horse racing has always been about more than what solely happens on the track.
In recent years, and 2025 more than ever, social media, specifically TikTok and Instagram, are shaping the experience and how people take in a day at the races in general.
A Shift In Who’s Going To The Races
Walk into a racecourse today and you’ll spot the change straight away. There are more young people. More phones held high. More people are filming themselves walking in, showing off outfits, or talking about who they fancy in the next race.
Many aren’t lifelong punters. Some don’t know much about the form book or have only a little insight into horse racing markets and events like Galway races betting at BoyleSports. But they’ve been drawn in by race day content they’ve seen online. Social media clips now act as invites. They say: “You don’t need to know everything. Just turn up and enjoy it.”
Racing’s reach is changing. That’s not a bad thing.
The Rise Of Race Day Influencers
Influencers are now a fixture at major race meetings. From Cheltenham to York and beyond, PR firms are working with creators to boost racing’s image online. These aren’t just people with a few followers, either. Some boast hundreds of thousands of fans, with reach far beyond racing’s base on social media.
Their focus? Vibes. Clothes. Trends. Often with a short reel of horses in full flight. It’s lifestyle content, not sports analysis. But that suits an increasingly growing casual crowd.
It’s helped change the way people think of a day at the races. It’s less about racecards and binoculars, more about making memories and sharing them.
“Get Ready With Me” Comes To The Parade Ring
Outfit planning has become a huge part of racing’s online movement. Instagram Reels and TikToks now show creators trying on dress options, choosing hats, and packing handbags. These “Get Ready With Me” videos often get more views than actual racing clips.
@ventwithdaisy2GRWM for the races 🐎| the weather is so annoying, my hair is defo going to drop out straight away 😩 lets just hope i don’t freeze and my feet don’t fall off 🫡
Racecourses have taken note. More are sharing dress code tips, fashion inspiration and even influencer-led “style guides” before big meetings. For events like Ladies’ Day, this matters. It’s no longer just about being best-dressed on course. It’s about being best-dressed online.
Fashion, in this space, is a gateway to racing.
Behind The Scenes: Making The Sport Feel Closer
One reason TikTok thrives is how it strips back the gloss. Creators show the queues, the rain, the laughter, all the ongoing activities centred around the racing itself, and their journey home. It feels real. This has opened up racing in a new way.
Some racecourses are leaning into this. Behind-the-scenes content now includes jockey cams, stable tours, and paddock walk-throughs. Clips showing how horses prepare or how staff manage big days bring the public closer to the sport.
When people understand more, they tend to care more. Social media, used right, can help close that gap.
Food, Drink & Instagram-Worthy Hospitality
Today’s hospitality experience is becoming a central part of the race day story, and social media is driving the change. Pop-up cocktail bars, huts, artisan stalls and street food vans are now regular fixtures at major meetings.
People don’t just enjoy them – they post about them. A flat white from a local roastery, bao buns on the lawn, or a glass of fizz with a trackside view all feed into the image of a perfect day out.
Racecourses are cottoning on. Many now promote their food offerings with as much polish as their racecards. And creators are helping by filming food hauls, suite sitdowns, brunch reviews and venue walk-throughs like they would at festivals or city rooftops.
How Racecourses Are Adapting
With racecourses running with the times, they have dedicated teams to capture all day-to-day proceedings from every angle in various forms for digital output. As previously mentioned, they film short clips, create behind-the-scenes access, and showcase events in ways that feel made for TikTok or Instagram Stories.
For example, Cheltenham has invested in creators who walk and talk the course with fans. Even smaller tracks have noticed – Lingfield, Beverley, and Cartmel are building up their online presence with local flair.
The shift is simple: if people live on their phones, racing has to meet them there.
Risks & Rewards
Not everything about the social media surge is perfect. There are questions to ask.
Does too much focus on fashion and fizz take away from the horses themselves? Are new racegoers engaging with the sport, or just the spectacle? Can the sport hold onto these new fans beyond a few selfies?
Still, the benefits are hard to ignore. Younger crowds are turning up in record numbers at big meetings. Racing is finding its place in spaces it once avoided. For a sport often called old-fashioned, that’s no small feat.
What Comes Next?
Expect the trend to grow. Racecourses will keep chasing relevance, especially among the upcoming generations. More riders and trainers may start building their own online brands. We may even see micro-influencers sponsored to attend meetings at lower-profile tracks.
And don’t be surprised if TikTok drives ticket sales directly. Some clubs in other sports already sell seats through link-in-bio tools and swipe-up Stories. Racing isn’t far behind.
Final Thoughts
TikTok and Instagram aren’t changing what happens between the starting gates and the finish line. But they’re reshaping everything around it.
The pageantry, the people, the parts of racing that happen before and after each race – that’s where the shift is clearest. It’s turning a day at the races into a shareable lifestyle moment, not just a sporting one.
And if that brings more eyes, more fans and more fun to Britain’s racecourses, it might just be the future the sport needs.