World Pool stakes reach new high of HK$385.2 million (£38.7m/AU$74.2m) from 12 races

Derby Days from Epsom in the UK and Eagle Farm in Australia have set a new record for World Pool turnover, with 12 races across the two racedays generating HK$385.2 million (approx. £38.7m/AU$74.2m).

The previous record for a 12-race composite card came in March of this year when World Pool offered eight races on Dubai World Cup Day, alongside two races each from Tancred Stakes Day and Australian Cup Day, which saw turnover from World Pool bet types of HK$378.1 million (approx. £38m/AU$72.6m).

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The Derby at Epsom itself saw notable growth from its 2023 turnover, up to HK$51.8 million (approx. £5.2m) from HK$41.6 million (approx. £4.2m), an increase of 24%.

With an extra race on the card this year, turnover on the day at the Downs was also up on 2023, as World Pool bet types accumulated to reach HK$264.5 million (approx. £26.6m), an increase on last year’s total of HK$249.1 million (approx. £25m).

Michael Fitzsimons, Executive Director, Wagering Products of the HKJC, said: “We have been delighted with the success of World Pool’s composite racedays so far this year and it was fantastic to combine all eight races from Epsom Derby Day with our first offering from Eagle Farm, featuring four races on Queensland Derby Day.

“To see record turnover across the cards is hugely exciting and shows the appeal of combining some of the biggest races internationally. We look forward to bringing World Pool customers further opportunities to bet on composite racedays in future.”

In the Derby, City Of Troy bounced back to his best form to run out a ready winner of the Epsom Classic, a remarkable return after disappointing in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket just a month before, and it was a performance that was fittingly chosen as the World Pool Moment of the Day, with groom David Hickey taking home the £4,000 prize.

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Jockeys were once again battling it out for points at Epsom in World Pool’s UK & Ireland Jockeys’ Championship. The placings remained unaltered with Silvestre de Sousa still leading the way on 44.10 points, from Callum Sheppard (42.55), but Oisin Murphy cemented his place in third and moved closer to the top two with an 8.00 winner aboard the Andrew Balding-trained Relentless Voyager, taking his total points tally to 34.65. The winner, confirmed after the final World Pool event in the UK and Ireland, Champions Day as Ascot, will receive £50,000 from the Hong Kong Jockey Club to donate to their chosen charity.

Once again World Pool provided unbeatable value for punters on Epsom’s card, beating fixed odds starting prices in four of the eight races, and matching SP on the remaining four for Tote customers in the UK.

Tote Value on Derby Day at Epsom 2024:

• Tote Win beat the industry Starting Price (SP) in 4 of the 8 races, matching on the remaining 4 with Tote Guarantee
• Tote Win overround was 111% vs SP overround of 117%
• Tote Exacta beat Forecast on 7 out of 8 races
• Tote Trifecta beat Tricast in 8 out of 8 races

Alex Frost, Chief Executive at the UK Tote, said: “We were all privileged to see City Of Troy’s spectacular performance in the Derby which was a captivating spectacle for racing fans around the world. These global superstars are so precious for the sport and exactly what the World Pool is designed to showcase.

“World Pool once again provided customers in the UK and Ireland with remarkable value and liquidity and some significant overpays on winners in a market with an average Tote Win overround of 111%, compared to an industry Starting Price overround of 117%.”

Tom Sammes, General Manager at Epsom Downs Racecourse, commented, “We were absolutely delighted with the turnover performance of the World Pool races on Betfred Derby Day, including on the Derby itself, where we saw a fantastic renewal of the race won by City Of Troy. This shows the importance of World Pool and its value to customers of British racing, both domestically and further afield.”

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The Queensland Derby set a solid foundation for turnover, with HK$120.7 million (approx. AU$23.2m/£12.1m) bet across four races, as the globally commingled pools made their debut at Queensland’s premier track, Eagle Farm.

Two Group 1 features were among that quartet with star sprinter I Wish I Win (3.3 with World Pool) securing a second top-level title in the Kingsford Smith Cup before Warmonger (10.6) produced the biggest winning margin in an Australian Group 1 since 1998 with a 10.4-length romp.

As at Epsom, World Pool provided unrivalled opportunities for value seekers, beating the fixed odds starting price on two races and matching SP on another.

Eagle Farm will make a World Pool cameo on June 15 when the G1 Stradbroke Handicap and the G2 Q22 are open to the globe.

The next World Pool race is the Gold Challenge at Greyville, South Africa, this Saturday.

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Upcoming World Pool events in the next three months:

June

• Saturday 8: Gold Challenge – Greyville Racecourse (S)
• Saturday 15: Stradbroke Handicap Day – Eagle Farm Racecourse (P)
• Tuesday 18: Queen Anne Stakes Day – Ascot Racecourse (F)
• Wednesday 19: Prince of Wales’s Stakes Day – Ascot Racecourse (F)
• Thursday 20: Gold Cup Day – Ascot Racecourse (F)
• Friday 21: Commonwealth Cup Day – Ascot Racecourse (F)
• Saturday 22: Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes Day – Ascot Racecourse (F)
• Sunday 30: Irish Derby Day – Curragh Racecourse (F)

July

• Saturday 6: Eclipse Stakes – Sandown Racecourse (S)
• Saturday 6: Durban July – Greyville Racecourse (S)
• Sunday 7: Deutsches Derby Day – Hamburg Racecourse (P)
• Saturday 27: King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day – Ascot Racecourse (F)
• Sunday 28: Champions Cup Day – Geryville Racecourse (P)
• Sunday 28: Grosser Preis Bayerisches Zuchtrennen Day – Munich Racecourse (P)
• Tuesday 30: Goodwood Cup Day – Goodwood Racecourse (F)
• Wednesday 31: Sussex Stakes Day – Goodwood Racecourse (F)

August

• Thursday 1: Nassau Stakes Day – Goodwood Racecourse (F)
• Sunday 4: Preis der Diana – German Oaks Day – Düsseldorf Racecourse (P)
• Sunday 11: Grosser Preis von Berlin Day – Hoppegarten Racecourse (P)
• Wednesday 21: International Stakes Day – York Racecourse (F)
• Thursday 22: Yorkshire Oaks Day – York Racecourse (F)
• Friday 23: Nunthorpe Stakes Day – York Racecourse (F)

• *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