An additional three fixtures will be staged in 2019, with a record 1,511 meetings planned for next year, the British Horseracing Authority has announced.

The fixture list was released on Thursday morning and the BHA feels the schedule strikes a balance which will benefit all involved in racing, as well as bookmakers.

While the split between National Hunt, Flat and all-weather racing remains broadly in line with last year, the number of evening fixtures has risen slightly as the BHA aims to "provide a more continuous and consistent betting product throughout the course of afternoon and evening racing".

A trial of 15 additional floodlit fixtures in the autumn to test the popularity of staging two such fixtures on the same evening with the betting public is planned, although in measures set out earlier in the year, all floodlit fixtures between January to mid-April and September to December will have a final race time of no later than 8.30pm to help jockeys and racing staff.

There will also be breaks for Flat participants in March and November, while no meetings have been scheduled for December 23, giving an extra blank day before Christmas.

Nick Rust, chief executive of the BHA said: "Producing a fixture list which strikes the right balance between sufficient support for all those who work so hard in racing, opportunities and rewards for owners and a compelling betting product to grow vital revenues for the sport has been a cross-industry effort.

"We hope that the 2019 fixture list gives racing's participants and customer groups confidence that the sport is working together in their best interests, and its early publication will allow the industry, racecourses and bookmakers adequate time to plan for next year."