World Pool in action for both days of Irish Champions Festival
World Pool
12/09/2024
Four new World Pool races from the Curragh join full card from Leopardstown as well as three new races from Flemington
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Eldar Eldarov won last year’s Irish St Leger under David Egan (Credit: Focus on Racing)
Thursday 12th September 2024 – World Pool returns to Ireland this weekend where the globally commingled pools will be in operation on both days of Irish Champions Festival – on Saturday from Leopardstown and for the first time on Sunday’s Irish St Leger Stakes Day card from the Curragh – while on Saturday three races will also be commingled on Makybe Diva Stakes Day from Flemington.
Irish Champion Stakes Day from Leopardstown will be a World Pool event for the fourth year, with all nine races on the card available to global bettors, while four Group 1 races on Irish St Leger Day from the Curragh will make their World Pool debut.
Irish St Leger Day is the second new World Pool raceday to be held in Ireland this year, and also the second from the Curragh, following May’s Irish 1000 Guineas meeting.
On both Irish Champion Stakes Day and Irish St Leger Stakes Day, seven World Pool bet types – Win, Place, Quinella, Quinella Place (Swinger), Tierce (Trifecta), Forecast (Exacta), Treble – will be available to punters in over 28 countries worldwide.
Last year’s Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes saw the Aidan O’Brien-trained Auguste Rodin bounce back to form, defeating stablemate Luxembourg, and this year both are likely to line up once again as their trainer bids for a sixth straight success in the contest.
Ireland’s premier Flat race has attracted an international field with runners from UK, France and Japan set to line up alongside the home-trained contingent.
A World Pool Moment of the Day will also be chosen at Leopardstown with the groom of the winning horse winning €4,000 and entry into the World Pool Moment of the Year competition and the chance to win a VIP trip to Hong Kong.
Makybe Diva Stakes Day opens Melbourne Spring Carnival
Three races on Makybe Diva Stakes Day will be available to World Pool punters for the first time; the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes, Group 2 HKJC World Pool Bobbie Lewis Quality and Group 2 Let's Elope Stakes.
Punters in over 28 countries will have five World Pool bet types – Win, Place, Quinella, Quinella Place (Duet) and Tierce (Trifecta) – to choose from across the three contests.
Makybe Diva Stakes Day marks the beginning of the Spring Carnival in Melbourne, and World Pool will return to the Australian city for a further two fixtures from the Carnival, on Caulfield Cup Day in October and Victorian Derby Day in early November.
Michael Fitzsimons, Executive Director, Wagering Products at the HKJC, said: “We’re looking forward to yet another big weekend for World Pool across three meetings, with Makybe Diva Stakes Day from Flemington debuting as a World Pool event and beginning Melbourne’s Spring Carnival, while Irish Champions Stakes Day from Leopardstown returns for a fourth year as a World Pool event on Saturday.
“We’re pleased to be adding further to our offering from Ireland, with Sunday’s Irish St Leger Stakes Day joining the World Pool roster for the first time, meaning both meetings on Irish Champions Festival – key dates in the Irish and international racing calendar – are now World Pool events.”
Suzanne Eade, CEO of Horse Racing Ireland, said: “The number of runners from overseas heading to Leopardstown and the Curragh just adds to the appeal of this weekend’s Irish Champions Festival and it is only fitting that both are World Pool days.
“The inclusion of all nine races from Leopardstown on Saturday and all four Group 1 races on a stellar card at the Curragh on Sunday broadens the reach of Irish Champions Festival and what’s best in Irish racing.
“World Pool has made a significant contribution to Irish racing in a very short space of time and we continue to partner with the Hong Kong Jockey Club as we look to expand on the number of race meetings and races in Ireland promoted as World Pool events.”
Upcoming World Pool events:
September
Saturday 14: Makybe Diva Stakes Day – Flemington Racecourse (P)
Saturday 14: Irish Champion Stakes Day – Leopardstown Racecourse (F)
Sunday 15: Irish St. Leger Day – Curragh Racecourse (P)
October
Saturday 19: King Charles III Stakes Day – Randwick Racecourse (P)
Saturday 19: Caulfield Cup Day – Caulfield Racecourse (S)
Saturday 19: British Champions Day – Ascot Racecourse (F)
November
Saturday 2: Victoria Derby Day – Flemington Racecourse (F)
Sunday 10: Grosser Preis von Bayern Day – Munich Racecourse (P)
December
Sunday 15: Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini – San Isidro Racecourse (S)
*F: Full meeting - World Pool coverage on all races in the relevant meeting
P: Part meeting - World Pool coverage only on selected races in the relevant meeting
S: Single race - World Pool coverage only on this race in the relevant meeting
