Since its introduction in 2019, World Pool has showcased international racing on the global stage while delivering greater odds liquidity with deeper wagering pools for racing purists and customers around the world.
More than 25 countries currently participate in World Pool, allowing customers to commingle through the Hong Kong Jockey Club on a string of high-class races. The popularity and growth of World Pool speaks volumes to its ability to deliver enhanced returns to our fans who closely follow international racing.
World Pool will today operate on 12 races from Melbourne, Sydney and Ascot with seven Group 1 races featuring in a tremendous array of world-class racing.
The first of the World Pool races will be simulcast from Randwick Racecourse at 12.25pm today where the feature race is The Everest (1200m), which is carded as Race S1-2 at 1.15pm.
The speed in the race will be strong with STORM BOY going forward from gate five for Brenton Avdulla with GROWING EMPIRE (Kerrin McEvoy) and LADY OF CAMELOT (Rachel King) also settling in the leading division.
GROWING EMPIRE was narrowly beaten by SOUTHPORT TYCOON in the Manikato Stakes on 27 September. He will again be on the speed and is a win and place chance.
TRAFFIC WARDEN will get a prefect run just behind the leaders from his inside draw with Jamie Kah aboard. He switches back to 1200m from his close second to BROADSIDING in the Golden Rose over 1400m.
BELLA NIPOTINA (Craig Williams) is always competitive at the top level but has drawn the outside gate and STEFI MAGNETICA had no luck when resuming with a close second to I AM ME on 21 September and will also run well.
GIGA KICK (Mark Zahra) won this race in 2022 but missed last year through injury and will improve off his two runs back this preparation and I WISH I WIN (Luke Nolen) was a close second in last year’s race but may not be racing as well as he was 12 months ago but is capable of a big performance at his best.
The Caulfield Cup (2400m) is carded as S2-1 and will be run 2.15pm. Four Hong Kong-based jockeys are riding in the race – Zac Purton, Karis Teetan, Andrea Atzeni and Ben Thompson.
Forecast rain might affect the ground and the early pace in this race is always strong.
LAND LEGEND, who is raced by Hong Kong owner Mr Bon Ho, has run four times in Australia and won the Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) at Randwick on 5 October. In that race, LAND LEGEND and ZARDOZI came away from the rest of the field and LAND LEGEND prevailed in a close finish. Zac should have LAND LEGEND in a perfect position from his inside draw and he is a place chance.
Andrea Atzeni rides ZARDOZI for James Cummings and she meets LAND LEGEND better at the weights here. ZARDOZI won the Victoria Oaks in November and was runner-up in the Sydney Oaks in April. She is a talented stayer and four-year-old mares have a good record in this race. ZARDOZI is a win and place chance.
ELIYASS suffered his first defeat in Australia when third to VIA SISTINA and BUCKAROO in the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington two weeks ago. ELIYASS has again drawn the outside barrier but is a place chance for Tim Clark.
BUCKAROO won the Underwood Stakes (1800m) two starts ago and again ran well when second in the Turnbull Stakes. BUCKAROO extends beyond 2000m for the first time but has drawn well and should settle just behind the pace for Joao Moreira and is a win and place chance.
The King Charles III Stakes (1600m) at Randwick is carded as S1-4 at 2.35pm.
PRIDE OF JENNI will go forward from her wide draw and set a strong pace. She comes into the race of another front running victory over MR BRIGHTSIDE in the Feehan Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on 27 September. She is a win and place chance for Declan Bates.
FANGIRL won this race last year by a big margin from MR BRIGHTSIDE and won her most recent start beating MY OBERON over this course and distance on 21 September. FANGIRL has drawn perfectly in gate four and is a place chance for James McDonald.
Hong Kong-owned CELESTIAL LEGEND has twice won at Group 1 level over this course and distance and will be primed to run well at his third run back from a spell. Blake Shinn takes the ride and will have him in a handy position from gate one and he is a place chance.
CEOLWULF was devastating in winning the Epsom Handicap over this course and distance two weeks ago and despite going from handicap to weight-for-age conditions is also a place chance from gate two for Chad Schofield.
Our focus turns to Ascot on Saturday night, when the Long Distance Cup (3115m) is carded as S3-1 and will be run at 8.20pm.
KYPRIOS is undefeated in six runs this year and was too good for his rivals in the Prix du Cadran on 5 October and should win again here with Ryan Moore aboard.
TRAWLERMAN (William Buick) beat KYPRIOS in this race last year and will run well and his stablemate SWEET WILLIAM beat TRUESHAN in the Doncaster Cup on 13 September and is a place chance for Robert Havlin.
The British Champion Sprint Stakes (1200m) is carded as S3-2 at 8.55pm.
KINROSS runs for Hong Kong owner Mr Marc Chan and comes into the race off an excellent second in the Prix de Floret (1400m) at Longchamp on 6 October. KINROSS won this race in 2022 and was runner-up to ART POWER last year. He likes soft ground and is a win and place chance for Rossa Ryan.
MONTASSIB won his first Group 1 race when taking the Haydock Sprint on 7 September for Cieren Fallon. William Haggas has kept MONTASSIB fresh and he is a place chance along with MILL STREAM (William Buick), who won the July Cup and then was fifth in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville in August.
The Fillies and Mares Stakes (2321m) is carded as S3-3 and run at 9.35pm.
KALPANA won the G3 September Stakes (2400m) at Kempton on 7 September by a big margin. She is an emerging talent in good form and is a win and place chance for William Buick.
Aidan O’Brien has three runners in the race and his best chance looks to be CONTENT, who won the Yorkshire Oaks before disappointing at Longchamp on very soft ground in the Prix de l’Opera. CONTENT is capable of much better and is a place chance for Ryan Moore.
TIME LOCK ran seventh in this race last year but comes into the race off a good win at Newmarket on 27 September and is a place chance for Rossa Ryan.
The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (1600m) is carded as S3-4 and is run at 10.15pm.
CHARYN won the Queen Anne Stakes at Ascot and the Jacques le Marois at Deauville, beating METROPOLITAN. CHARYN was second to TRIBALIST in the Prix du Moulin at his most recent run. Silvestre de Sousa rides CHARYN and he is my win selection.
PRAGUE was very impressive winning the Joel Stakes by a big margin for Daniel Tudhope and has place claims and FACTEUR CHEVAL continues to race well for French trainer Jerome Reynier and is a place chance under Maxime Guyon.
There are a number of horses with claims including METROPOLITAN (Cristian Demuro) and HENRY LONGFELLOW (Ryan Moore), who was third in the Prix du Moulin.
The final Group 1 race for the day is the Champion Stakes (2000m), which is carded as S3-5 and run at 10.55pm.
ECONOMICS was very impressive beating AUGUSTE RODIN in the Irish Champions Stakes at Leopardstown on 14 September. There is a query against ECONOMICS on soft ground as his only defeat came on debut as a two-year-old on heavy ground, but ECONOMICS looks a rare talent and is a win and place chance for Tom Marquand.
CALANDAGAN leads the French challenge and took a three-race winning streak into the International Stakes at York on 21 August when he was gallant in defeat behind CITY OF TROY. There was a big margin back to GHOSTWRITER in third place, with the eventual Arc winner BLUESTOCKING well beaten in fourth. CALANDAGAN will be very hard to beat with Stephane Pasquier taking the ride again.
Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore combine with Irish Derby winner LOS ANGELES who ran well when third in the Arc to BLUESTOCKING at his most recent start and he is a place chance.
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