Despite the summer break with no local races, racing fans are provided with opportunity to enjoy top class overseas races with our continued simulcast program.
In the seven simulcast days we have covered top class races from Great Britain, South Africa, Germany and France. These feature races offered with World Pool have included the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day, Champions Cup Day, Grosser Preis Bayerisches Zuchtrennen Day, Glorious Goodwood, Preis der Diana – German Oaks Day and Grosser Preis von Berlin Day.
I am pleased to see the World Pool simulcast days are well received by our racing fans all over the world as they continue to gain momentum. The three days of World Pool from Goodwood resulted in a 9.2 per cent increase in turnover from our international partners. There were 253 overall starters across the 23 races in 2024 compared to 254 in 2023 (also 23 races). The race with the highest overall turnover so far this summer was a two-year-old Nursery on day three at Goodwood, which resulted in a HK$47.3 million turnover. It highlighted the value and appeal of World Pool with 12 of the 16 competitors having final tote odds higher than the industry SP including the winner who returned $13.15 compared to $11.
This week’s World Pool Days will be on the York’s Ebor Festival where the Club has arranged three days of simulcast races.
The famous York Ebor Festival in England will host a Group One race on each of the first three days of their carnival starting with the International Stakes (2051m) on Wednesday. It’s carded as S1-4 and run at 10.35pm.
All seven races over the opening three days will be covered with the opening race carded as S1-1 and run at 8.50pm.
The International Stakes contains a class field and features the Aidan O’Brien-trained CITY OF TROY who returned to winning form in the Derby Stakes after an uncharacteristic flop in the 2000 Guineas and is bidding for his fourth Group One.
Aidan rates CITY OF TROY as the best two-year-old he has trained and the best of his ten Derby winners. The three-year-old could join the likes of SEA THE STARS and FRANKEL as champion winners of the International Stakes.
With Ryan Moore in the saddle, I make the colt a win chance.
ALFLAILA has scored three times from four tries at York and although he will carry plenty of weight, I rate him as the biggest threat to CITY OF TROY and is a definite place chance, along with AMBIENTE FRIENDLY.
Japan’s St. Leger winner from last year DUREZZA must be respected and I make him a place selection at odds. Christophe Lemaire has the ride on the four-year-old who I expect to bounce back after finishing well back in the Tenno Sho (Spring). CALANDAGAN and also comes into consideration for a place chance after winning his past three races, including his last start six length victory at G2 level at Ascot over 2392m.
The G1 Yorkshire Oaks (2371m) for fillies and mares is the feature race of the Ebor Festival’s second day of racing and it’s carded as S2-4 and run at 10.35pm.
And again Aidan O’Brien holds a strong hand in this race, one of plenty of quality, with CONTENT and PORT FAIRY. He is aiming for his fourth win the race in the past five years and is confident one of his two contenders can enhance his record.
John and Thady Gosden will run both multiple Group 1 winner EMILY UPJOHN and QUEEN OF THE PRIDE which gives the race more depth. I make QUEEN OF THE PRIDE a place selection.
YOU GOT TO ME and CONTENT finished first and second respectively in the Irish Oaks and they add another intriguing factor to the race and at their best are place chances.
The Nunthorpe Stakes (1000m) is the feature of the Ebor Festival’s third day of racing on Friday and the Group One looms as a battle in two between crack Australian sprinter ASFOORA and the Mick Appleby-trained BIG EVS. It is carded as S3-4 and run at 10.35pm.
The pair has faced-off against each other twice, with Henry Dwyer’s mare ASFOORA winning their first clash in the G1 King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot. But the Breeders’ Cup winner got revenge in the G2 King George Stakes at Goodwood, defeating the Aussie raider by a short head.
They are both obviously win and place chances, but I am leaning towards the Australian. Tom Marquand has the ride on BIG EVS.
Last year’s winner LIVE IN THE DREAM and French stakes winner, along with BRADSELL, are also in the mix for a place, along with the mare BELIEVING.
On a personal note, I am deeply saddened by the recent passing of esteemed racing journalist Howard Wright.
Howard was one of the most important and influential racing writers of his generation and was widely respected by his peers.
He was a founding member of staff at the Racing Post and his fearless and informed reporting helped shape coverage of racing not only in Great Britain but across the globe.
Born and raised in Doncaster, in the British racing heartland, Howard had a keen appreciation of international racing and was a tremendous supporter of Hong Kong, regularly attending our major meetings where we would invariably discuss vital racing issues.
Howard will be sadly missed by many people across the racing world and I offer my condolences to his family and colleagues.
Comment
