New heights as Australia and South Africa revel in World Pool action
World Pool
10/04/2024
A record eight G1 races were among 12 contests bet on globally between Randwick and Turffontein
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Tyler Schiller celebrates as Celestial Legend takes the G1 Doncaster Mile for octogenarian trainer Les Bridge and Hong Kong owner Bon Ho
Wednesday 10th April, 2024 – World Pool, the largest globally commingled horse racing pools created and powered by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, has reached new heights with more than HK$331 million (A$63.91 million, R781 million) wagered across the globe on 12 races from Australia and South Africa, including eight Group 1 races, last Saturday.
Saturday’s total turnover rates as the fourth-highest World Pool day of all time. It sits behind a bumper Dubai World Cup day on March 30 that also featured two races from Sydney and two races from Melbourne, which yielded HK$378.1 million, as well as last two days of Royal Ascot in 2022, which reached HK$351.8 million (Friday) and HK$340.9 million (Saturday) respectively.
The dual-country raceday began in Sydney with the first day of The Championships at Randwick.
For the first time ever, all three totalisators in operation in Australia – NSW TAB, S-TAB and UBet - joined World Pool, marking a new milestone in parimutuel betting Down Under as it also represented the first time the country had a national tote pool on offer.
For Australian customers, as well as those based abroad, World Pool offered unprecedented liquidity and price stability on one of the biggest meetings of the year.
With turnover of HK$42.67 million, the G1 Doncaster Mile – won by the Hong Kong-owned Celestial Legend – became the biggest betting race from Australia so far in 2024. It was also just the third time this year that the Win pool has topped HK$10 million, joining the Saudi Cup and the Dubai World Cup.
Attention then turned to South Africa for four Group 1 races at Turffontein on their rebranded Champions Day.
The G1 TAB SA Derby, a competitive race from top to bottom, recorded the highest Quinella pool so far in 2024 with HK$10.64 million.
The AUD$8,000 World Pool Moment of the Day was awarded to Campbell Ashby, the groom and regular morning rider of Celestial Legend.
Ashby is now in the running to win a trip to Hong Kong next year should his victory be selected as the World Pool Moment of the Year.
World Pool action returns to Sydney next weekend for the second day of The Championships at Randwick, which will mark the first time that a full 10-race card has been taken from Australia.
Michael Fitzsimons, Executive Director, Wagering Products of the HKJC, said: “The last two weekends have featured thrilling racing from all corners of the globe and it is clear that our customers are enjoying the chance to bet on the world’s best races, wherever they are run. There was plenty of interest in last weekend’s first day of The Championships from Randwick and we are excited to return again this weekend for our first 10-race meeting from Australia.”
Upcoming World Pool events to be hosted in coming weeks include:
April
Saturday 13: Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day – Randwick Racecourse (F)
May
Saturday 4: 2000 Guineas Day – Newmarket Racecourse (F)
Sunday 5: 1000 Guineas Day – Newmarket Racecourse (P)
Saturday 18: Lockinge Stakes Day – Newbury Racecourse (P)
Sunday 26: Irish 1000 Guineas Day – Curragh Racecourse (P)
*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
