Racecourse operator Northern Racing found the going good in the first half of its financial year, increasing pretax profits by nearly 30 per cent.

The Staffordshire company, which owns and operates nine courses, including Uttoxeter, Chepstow and Hereford, said all of its key revenue streams produced a performance significantly head of 2004.

Pretax profits for the six months to June 30 rose by 29 per cent to £900,000 on the back of turnover 9.5 per cent up at £15 million.

Aim-listed Northern said the improvement came despite the loss of the At The Races television contract which reduced income by £600,000.

Chairman Graham Stow, who took over following the death last year of company founder Sir Stanley Clarke, said: "The group's performance in the first half is the result of focusing on our core activity, the provision of a first class racing experience.

" We have delivered operational improvements in all key revenue streams during the first half to produce a performance slightly ahead of 2004."

Northern's figures show that the company is as successful in getting its "many and varied" customers to pay up for food and drinks as it is as getting them on to its courses in the first place.

The hiring out of its courses for special events is also proving a money spinner with income from that source up by 22 per cent in the first half.

Northern is also doing well in the British Horseracing Board's new system of auctioning off some fixtures and has secured 24 new cards for its nine courses.

Mr Stow said yesterday that the group was working on developing its 2,200 acre-strong land bank.

Looking ahead, Mr Stow said: "Trading in the second half of the year is in line with expectations and we look forward to the future with confidence."

Northern also announced that group managing director Rod Street had received 250,000 ordinary shares from Sir Stanley Clarke's estate.