World Pool, powered by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, is set to mark its UK seasonal debut at Newmarket Racecourse on May 4th, accompanied by the launch of an innovative £50,000 charity initiative for jockeys.
For the first time ever, both the QIPCO 1000 Guineas on May 5th and the 2000 Guineas on May 4th will be World Pool events, setting the stage for an exciting start to the UK Flat season.
Guineas weekend will also kick off the inaugural World Pool UK & Ireland Jockeys’ Championship, offering jockeys the opportunity to earn points across World Pool fixtures in the region. Points will be awarded based on the World Pool win dividend, ensuring a fair competition for all jockeys, regardless of their stature.
The championship, starting with the QIPCO 2000 Guineas, will culminate on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on October 19th, with the winning jockey receiving £50,000 to donate to a charity of their choice.
Adding to the excitement, the Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas on May 26th will debut as a World Pool race, alongside the Tattersalls Gold Cup, with increased prize money this year.
Building on the success of previous years, the World Pool Moment of the Year will continue in 2024, recognizing outstanding achievements at full World Pool meetings. Stable staff will have the chance to win cash prizes and a VIP trip to Hong Kong in 2025.
At each full World Pool meeting, one World Pool Moment of the Day will be selected, with the winning groom receiving a generous cash prize.
Upcoming UK and Irish World Pool events in the first half of 2024 include:
May 4: 2000 Guineas Day at Newmarket Racecourse
May 5: 1000 Guineas Day at Newmarket Racecourse
May 18: Lockinge Stakes Day at Newbury Racecourse
May 26: Irish 1000 Guineas Day at Curragh Racecourse
June 1: Derby Stakes Day at Epsom Racecourse
June 18: Queen Anne Stakes Day at Ascot Racecourse
June 19: Prince of Wales’s Stakes Day at Ascot Racecourse
June 20: Gold Cup Day at Ascot Racecourse
June 21: Commonwealth Cup Day at Ascot Racecourse
June 22: Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes Day at Ascot Racecourse
June 30: Irish Derby Day at Curragh Racecourse
Michael Fitzsimons, Executive Director, Wagering Products of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: “It’s fantastic to be returning to the UK and Ireland with an extended World Pool fixture list this year now featuring the English and Irish 1000 Guineas, and we look forward to making these historic fillies’ Classics available to customers from around the world.
“In addition to the popular World Moment of the Day initiative, we’re excited to announce the new World Pool UK & Ireland Jockeys’ Championship, which will provide a different dimension and further competition to World Pool racedays right up until QIPCO British Champions Day in October.
“It’s a unique competition, with a jockey’s points being determined by World Pool win dividends, and a great initiative as there’s £50,000 up for grabs for the leading rider to donate to a charity of their choice. We are committed to giving money back to racing and good causes, and this seemed the perfect way to do that.”
Alex Frost, Chief Executive of the UK Tote Group, said: “It’s always an exciting time of year as the Flat season gets underway and we’re delighted that both the UK’s first Classics are World Pool events. City Of Troy has the potential to be a global superstar and we look forward to his seasonal reappearance being watched and bet on by 28 countries who play into the UK’s first World Pool event of 2024.
“Racing fans in the UK and Ireland will be able to access the huge global pools at tote.co.uk, on the Tote App and at racecourses which means excellent value is on offer, while the sport benefits from this increasingly important revenue stream.”
Martin Stevenson, Chief Executive Officer of Racecourse Media Group (RMG), which represents the media interests of The Jockey Club, Goodwood, and York Racecourses, said: “RMG looks forward to another exciting World Pool season in UK and Ireland, and will continue to work closely with the Hong Kong Jockey Club, UK Tote and our racecourses to grow both the sport’s revenues and global appeal.”
Amy Starkey, Managing Director, Jockey Club Racecourses, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and thank them for their support as we deliver three exciting World Pool days across the QIPCO Guineas Festival and the Betfred Derby Festival.
“For the first time in the UK, we have worked alongside World Pool to host a nine-race card on QIPCO 2000 Guineas Day. This will include the first Classic of the season, whilst we are also delighted to feature the following day’s three-year-old Classic Fillies’ race, the QIPCO 1000 Guineas, as a World Pool race for the first time.
“World Pool enables strong reinvestment back into British racing and working alongside them to secure these additional races is an important step as we continue to strengthen links with Hong Kong, engage more fans with British racing and strive to grow our sport.”
Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive of the Curragh Racecourse, said: “We are delighted to extend our relationship with World Pool in 2024 with the Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas and the Tattersalls Gold Cup on 26 May and the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby meeting on 30 June included in the programme.
“We had a very positive first experience with World Pool last year and look forward to building on it this year, bringing our racing to a wider audience. Irish horses have enjoyed great success internationally in recent years and we are delighted to be showcasing our best races through World Pool.
“Inclusion in World Pool has enabled us to increase prizemoney at the Curragh in 2024 and we look forward to developing this relationship further in the future.”
