The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s World Pool concept is set to be introduced to New Zealand with confirmation that both the Karaka Millions meeting and the newly created Champions Day in early 2025 will be World Pool meetings.
World Pool has been operating on feature Australian meetings since early 2023. It was active on four feature spring racedays in Melbourne and Sydney and is scheduled for another five in the first three months of 2025.
Other jurisdictions to offer World Pool during 2024/25 include Germany, England, Ireland, South Africa, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and of course Hong Kong.
The concept, which sees Hong Kong’s global betting pools added into local parimutuel pools, is designed to increase liquidity and create greater international viewership.
Entain, which operates the New Zealand TAB, has confirmed it will be part of World Pool for two meetings, the Karaka Millions on January 25 and Champions Day, which features New Zealand Derby and Bonecrusher Stakes, as well as the inaugural running of The NZB Kiwi, on March 8.
“World Pool is an exciting opportunity to share the very best of New Zealand racing internationally,” Lachlan Fitt, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Entain Australia and New Zealand, said.
“The benefits of having the thoroughbred racing world firmly focused on New Zealand for these two meetings cannot be underestimated.
“As well as the advantages that our TAB customers will see, World Pool meetings are a confirmation that New Zealand racing is making its mark on the global stage.”
The HKJC acts as host of the World Pool, and Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, welcomed New Zealand as a World Pool partner.
“New Zealand has a long and rich horseracing history with an outstanding record of producing champion horses, jockeys and trainers on the international stage,” Engelbrecht-Bresges said.
“Not only is New Zealand a proven nursery in terms of equine and human racing talents, but it also boasts a vibrant and respected domestic racing structure crowned by world-class Group 1 races.”
World Pool will also operate on both Australian feature meetings at Randwick and Flemington on March 8.
The concept has generally generated larger pools and greater liquidity in Australian racing, with returns flowing directly back to race clubs under the Australian funding structure.
Along with a national tote pool, World Pool is seen as a light of hope that parimutuel betting can be revived in Australia after a massive decline over the past 25 years.
Bren O’Brien
There has been criticism that the higher takeout rates under World Pool are a net negative for punters.
