World Pool continues to play an extremely important role on the global racing stage, not least as a key weapon in the on-going fight against illegal gambling, but also because of the returns it provides to the sport and its passionate supporters.
Since its introduction at Royal Ascot in 2019, World Pool has generated tremendous financial results for host clubs, which in turn provides the capacity to enhance prizemoney and facilities, while also helping to globalise our sport.
As a passionate supporter of global racing, one of the most satisfying aspects of World Pool is the way in which it allows racing followers all over the world to engage with, enjoy and appreciate outstanding racing in other jurisdictions.
This in turn improves knowledge and familiarity and, just as importantly, boosts the popularity of our sport.
With its deeper pools and greater liquidity created by more than 70 different partners across over 25 jurisdictions, World Pool already features 84 of the LONGINES World’s Top 100 Group 1 races and we look forward to eventually featuring all 100 races as part of the World Pool offering.
Our World Pool operation continues today (Saturday, 3 May) with the South Australian Derby meeting from Morphettville Racecourse in Adelaide with the first of three races from 1.17pm.
The G1 South Australian Derby is carded as S1-3 and will be run over 2500m at 2.35pm.
The speed will be good to moderate with DUBAI FOCUS (Daniel Stackhouse) and GOLDRUSH GURU (Jason Holder) likely to be at the head of the field, with AMERICAN WOLF (Mark Zahra) and STATUARIO (John Allen) also prominent.
STATUARIO ran well for third behind SHANWAH in the Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) at Moonee Valley on 22 March and then easily won the Galilee Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield. STATUARIO looks an emerging stayer and from gate three is a win and place chance for John Allen, who is looking for his fifth success in the race.
GOLDRUSH GURU won the Victoria Derby in November and shaped well early this campaign, running third in the Australian Guineas (1600m) on 1 March. He failed to show his best form going right-handed in two runs in Sydney and is a place chance.
ROCTAVE (Jordan Childs) is a New Zealand-trained runner for Stephen Marsh, who campaigned EL VENCEDOR in the G1 FWD QEII Cup last week. ROCTAVE is a place chance along with AMERICAN WOLF, LAVALIER (Jamie Melham), DUBAI FOCUS and SAINT EMILION (Todd Pannell).
After Morphettville, our focus shifts to Newmarket in England for the first of nine races from 8.10pm. The G1 2000 Guineas is carded as S2-5 and will be run at 10.35pm. The 2000 Guineas is one of the most important races in Europe in terms of how many good stallions have come out of this race, including FRANKEL, CHURCHILL, CAMELOT, MAKFI, SEA THE STARS and ROCK OF GIBRALTAR over the past 25 years alone, while all-time greats such as NIJINSKY and SIR IVOR are also part of the 2000 Guineas honour roll.
The pace is generally good down the straight course in this race and it will be interesting to see if the field races in one group or splits into two divisions.
FIELD OF GOLD (Kieran Shoemark) will start an overwhelming favourite for John & Thady Gosden in a race where victory has so far eluded them. FIELD OF GOLD’s sire KINGMAN was trained by John Gosden and his sole defeat from eight starts was in the 2000 Guineas when beaten by NIGHT OF THUNDER in 2014. KINGMAN has become a leading stallion but – like himself – his progeny has a lot of nervous energy which one has to manage carefully as a trainer and watching the pre-race parade is always important to see how they handle the hype around these races.
FIELD OF GOLD made his seasonal reappearance in the Craven Stakes over this course and distance on 16 April and came from last to sweep past his rivals to win. FIELD OF GOLD is a win and place chance. According to the Gosdens, FIELD OF GOLD has matured and he is a strong colt with a laidback character which makes him my first choice with an international rating of 118.
My second choice is EXPANDED, who is trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore. EXPANDED is by Wootton Bassett and finished second in last year’s Dewhurst Stakes (1400m) to SHADOW OF LIGHT, which resulted in an international rating of 118.
SHADOW OF LIGHT is trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by Mickael Barzalona and has the highest international rating of 120 and is by LOPE DE VEGA. There is some concern the demanding 1600m straight course will test his stamina.
RULING COURT (William Buick) won the Listed Jumeirah 2000 Guineas (1600m) last start and is a place chance along with SCORTHY CHAMP (Dylan McMonagle), who won the G1 Vincent O’Brien National Stakes (1400m) for trainer Joseph O’Brien at his last start in September.
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