World Pool betting hits record £48m as British Champions Day joins global card

World Pool betting turnover reached a new single-day high of HK$424.1 million (£48 million) on Saturday, generated across 12 races run at Randwick, Caulfield and Ascot, according to the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC).

The figure, staked by bettors in more than 28 countries, surpassed the previous record of HK$385.2 million (around £38 million), which was set earlier this year during a composite card featuring races from the Queensland and Epsom Derby meetings.

Ascot contribution in line with last year

Ascot’s six races on British Champions Day accounted for HK$200 million (£19.75 million) of the overall total, broadly consistent with the £202.7 million wagered on the same fixture in 2023.

Michael Fitzsimons, executive director of wagering products at the HKJC, said the strength of the Group 1 fields across the three venues had driven global betting interest, noting it was only the second time World Pool had run a three-fixture composite card.

Rod Street, chief executive of British Champions Series, said the quality and size of the fields on British Champions Day had made for an attractive betting product internationally, adding that the raceday’s link to World Pool was helping raise its profile among a wider global audience.

Wider World Pool contributions

The record turnover came shortly after the HKJC confirmed that total World Pool contributions to UK and Irish racecourses had passed £50 million. The organisation said related initiatives, including the World Pool Moment of the Day and the World Pool Jockeys’ Championship, had returned more than £300,000 to stable staff and charitable causes.

Among those initiatives, jockey Billy Loughnane won the inaugural UK & Ireland World Pool Jockeys’ Championship on Saturday, earning a £50,000 charity prize which he donated to the Christy Lambe Foundation.