The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has announced that its World Pool initiative has contributed over £50 million to British and Irish racecourses since its launch in 2019. Since its inception, World Pool has commingled 580 races across nine tracks, including prominent venues such as Ascot, Curragh, and York.
World Pool launched at Royal Ascot in 2019 with 30 races and has since expanded, covering 135 races across nine racecourses this year. New additions for 2024 included the English and Irish 1000 Guineas and the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup. The season concludes this Saturday with the final UK and Irish Flat meeting at Ascot’s QIPCO British Champions Day.
The HKJC, through World Pool, has committed over £300,000 to the Moment of the Day initiative and the new Jockeys’ Championship, underscoring its support for the racing community. The Moment of the Day program provides winning grooms with a £4,000 cash prize and a chance for a VIP trip to Hong Kong.
Additionally, the inaugural World Pool UK & Ireland Jockeys’ Championship, which awards points based on public-driven World Pool win dividends, has provided jockeys with an opportunity to contribute to charitable causes. This year’s leader, Billy Loughnane, holds a strong lead with 187.50 points after key victories at Royal Ascot and York’s Ebor Festival, with just one event remaining in the season.
Michael Fitzsimons, Executive Director, Wagering Products at the HKJC, said: “World Pool has come such a long way since we first launched at Royal Ascot in 2019. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see how much it has grown over the past six years and everyone at the Hong Kong Jockey Club is thrilled to see so much money going back into racing in so many different ways.
“As World Pool continues to grow its presence and popularity, further investment will flow back into the sport, continuing to boost prize money, which in turn should have a positive impact on the size and quality of fields. Healthy field sizes and high-quality racing is what grabs the attention and interest of punters across the globe.”
Alex Frost, Chief Executive, UK Tote Group, said: “In only six years, World Pool has moved from a concept to an initiative that is having a significant impact on supporting the financial ecosystem of racing in the UK and Ireland. It is testament to the vision and leadership of the Hong Kong Jockey Club that we have all been able to make this much progress together.
“Under our long-term contract, everyone at the Tote is very excited to continue our work with the Hong Kong Jockey Club and all our partners to grow World Pool, both for the benefit of racing fans who want an exciting and competitive betting options and to help support the future financial sustainability of the sport.”
