UK World Pool season kicks off with record turnover

World Pool, the globe’s largest commingled horse racing pools created and powered by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), hit new heights on 2000 Guineas Day at Newmarket, with turnover reaching £27.1 million, up from £26.1 million 12 months ago.

It was a memorable day on the Rowley Mile, with World Pool ambassador Frankie Dettori winning his fourth 2000 Guineas on Chaldean for Andrew Balding in the colours of the late Prince Khalid Abdullah. The 2000 Guineas produced the highest turnover on the eight-race card with nearly £4.7 million bet into the pool.

Pool betting operators from 28 countries now bet into World Pool, enabling racing fans from all over the globe to bet into one single pool, which creates huge liquidity and excellent value.

World Pool Moment of the Day

Funding for World Pool Moment of the Day has been boosted in 2023, with £4,000 going to the winning groom and it was Chetan Singh, groom of Chaldean, who was awarded the prize.

Singh will now go into the hat for the World Pool Moment of the Year competition – along with the other 24 global Moment of the Day winners in 2023 – with the chance to win a VIP trip for four to Hong Kong in 2024.

Michael Fitzsimons, Executive Director, Wagering Products, at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: “Despite the weather gods not playing ball at Newmarket, it was a bright start to the World Pool season in the UK and Ireland, and we were delighted to see turnover increase on 12 months ago.

“It was a hugely competitive race day, with interesting action for fans all over the world, but it was Frankie who stole the show once again. As we all know, he is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, stars to ever grace this sport, so to see him win his fourth 2000 Guineas on his final ride in the race was really special.

“Great credit must go to Newmarket for producing such a high-quality programme, with very healthy field sizes, and we are now looking forward to our next World Pool events at Newbury and Epsom.”

Alex Frost, Chief Executive of the UK Tote Group, said: “It’s great to see our World Pool season get off to such a strong start at Newmarket with high class racing and some fantastic results, notably World Pool ambassador Frankie Dettori winning his final 2000 Guineas.

“The Tote once again offered exceptional value, with Tote+ Win beating the SP in 4 out of 8 races and matching on the remaining races, and operating with an average overround of only 103%, versus 122% with the bookmakers. We are now looking forward to Newbury hosting their first World Pool races on Lockinge Day in a fortnight’s time.”

Sophie Able, Newmarket Racecourses and International Director, said: “2000 Guineas Day was an exceptional day of Flat racing, if a little damper than we were anticipating! We were delighted with the fields and that the changes we have made to the race programme and improvements to prize money, helped by World Pool, resulted in such competitive action on the track.

“To see Frankie triumph in the biggest race at his home racecourse for the final time was a fitting climax and we hope bettors around the world enjoyed getting stuck into what was a memorable day.”