According to the race company’s chief executive Richard Thomas in the first four months in which tickets have been sold via the four per cent of total ticket sales have been online.

And Thomas claims more than 90 per cent of those people have never bought an advance ticket before.

‘‘There are just too many bookings for them to be from people who are suddenly trading up from the Dee Stands on the day to the County Stand in advance,’’ said Thomas.

‘‘I’m convinced that part of the explanation is that many have never been horse racing at Chester before - and the convenience of buying tickets via the internet has persuaded them to give it a try.

‘‘I had been expecting many more ’replacement’ sales online - people who previously would have telephoned with a credit card or come down personally to the racecourse ticket office.

What’s happening is not only surprising but also immensely pleasing for Chester in particular and the sport in general.’’

One thousand people a week are now accessing the racecourse’s web site, and the racing season at Chester - which attracts the fifth highest average attendances among Britain’s 59 racecourses - is still eight weeks away.

The internet sales have helped to push advance tickets sales to record levels for the winter.