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Ascot and Tote Sign Five-Year Agreement to Improve Pool Betting

A five-year agreement aimed at strengthening and growing pool betting in the UK was signed by Ascot Racecourse and the Tote on Thursday.

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2024, the agreement ensures all pool bets placed on racing from Ascot Racecourse will continue to support liquidity in the UK pool which has been operated by the UK Tote Group since October 2019. The “Bet with Ascot” brand is included under this umbrella of bets as long as the bets are placed on the Tote website, through bookmakers and third-party partners on course.

This agreement also dovetails with the initiative that assists Ascot with being central to the World Pool since it began at Royal Ascot in 2019. Tote operators from 28 countries currently commingle pools which are hosted by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC).

Alastair Warwick, chief executive of Ascot Racecourse, said, “We are delighted have a new agreement in place with the Tote which will allow us to build on what has been achieved domestically and internationally over the last four years. As one of the original architects of World Pool, alongside the Hong Kong Jockey Club and the Tote, we are excited to support the further development of World Pool to ensure both racing fans and the sport benefit from it. We will ensure that Ascot's top-class racing continues to be at the forefront of British racing's efforts to see that the sport is watched and bet on by a growing domestic and global audience.”

Alex Frost, chief executive of the UK Tote Group, added, “The Tote is immensely proud to be a partner of Ascot Racecourse which hosts some of the most prestigious racedays in the sporting calendar. This new agreement ensures Ascot Racecourse and the Tote are perfectly positioned to work together to achieve a strong UK Pool, alongside the continued development of World Pool, which are crucial elements to the future financial sustainability of the sport.”

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Ascot’s Nick Smith Receives New Year Honours

Ascot's director of racing and public affairs, Nick Smith, has been named to the New Year's Honours list.

Smith, who started at Ascot in 2000, was made a lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order, which rewards personal service to the monarch and their household. In 2023, King Charles III and Queen Camilla celebrated their first Royal Ascot winner with Desert Hero (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who would subsequently be Classic placed in the G1 St Leger. Other highlights of Ascot's year include Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB})'s battle in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S., and Frankie Dettori's Royal Ascot resurgence aboard G1 Gold Cup winner Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}) among others.

Smith said, “I'm obviously absolutely delighted and honoured. It's been a fantastic journey working for Ascot for so long and it's nice to have it recognised.

“It's been a brilliant year at the racecourse with the King and Queen having a winner, Frankie Dettori lighting up Royal Ascot this year, a vintage King George and full fields for the Shergar Cup, so we really couldn't ask for much more.”

Smith added, “We're just about to start our overseas campaign in Australia, Japan, the United States and suchlike, looking for those horses to populate the Royal meeting. That will all start in earnest and hopefully build up to another fantastic meeting in June.”

Smith was not the only racing industry figure to be honoured, with the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA)'s Julian Richmond-Watson receiving an OBE. Richard Linley was recognised with an MBE. Linley was the former British Horseracing Authority (BHA) senior inspector of courses.

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The Jockey Club, Ascot Partner with Churchill Downs for Trans-Atlantic Initiative

A pair of runners competing during Kentucky Derby week at Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby, will be offered wild card entries for Epsom's 3-year-old Classics contested four weeks later.

The winner of Churchill's $500,000 GII Edgewood S., contested on the Kentucky Oaks undercard May 3, will receive an entry and travel incentive to run in the G1 Betfred Oaks at Epsom May 31.

In the colt's division, a runner from the $500,000 GII American Turf S., scheduled for Kentucky Derby Day May 4, will receive an entry and travel incentive to the June 1 Betfred Derby.

The Jockey Club and Ascot Racecourse have also coordinated with Churchill to offer wild card entries to a pair of Royal Ascot fixtures. A runner from the $500,000 GII Twin Spires Turf Sprint S., also run on Kentucky Derby Day, will receive an entry and a travel incentive to run in the G1 King Charles III S. (formerly the King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot June 18. Additionally, a runner from the $1-million GI Old Forester Turf Classic S., contested on Kentucky Derby Day, will receive an entry and a travel incentive to run in either the G1 Queen Anne S. June 18 or the G1 Prince of Wales's S., held June 19, both staged during the Royal meeting.

In return for the above incentives for U.S.-based runners, a runner from both the Queen Anne and the Prince of Wales's will receive an entry and a travel incentive to run in Colonial Downs' $1-million GI Arlington Million S. over 10 furlongs in mid-August.

Also, a runner from the G1 Tattersalls Falmouth S. at Newmarket's July Festival July 12 will also receive an entry and travel incentive to run in the $500,000 GI Beverly D S. on the same day as the Colonial Downs Arlington Million.

Winners of the aforementioned races will receive the invite to run in the corresponding races across the Atlantic. However, in the event that the winners aren't able to accept, racecourses may then also invite placed horses. The elimination procedures in these races will remain as they are now.

“A trip to Churchill Downs is one that should be on the bucket list for every racing fan, the world over,” said Matt Woolston, Assistant Racing and International Racing Director at The Jockey Club. “The Kentucky Derby itself can trace its origin back to Epsom Downs in 1780 when Diomed won the very first Derby and we are proud to reinforce this historic link.

“These historic races already have an international reputation and we want to welcome more and more international runners in the years to come.”

For more information, click here.

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Ascot Prize-Money Increases to £17.5 Million Next Year

The total prize-money at Ascot Racecourse in 2024 will increase to £17.5 million, the racecourse announced on Wednesday. This marks a 3.9% increase on 2023's total of £16.8 million.

Royal Ascot's prize-money has been raised to an even £10 million, with no races contested at less than £110,000, up from £100,000. All Group 1 races at the iconic stand will be worth £650,000, an increase of £50,000 per race. The affected races include the King Charles III S. (formerly the King's Stand S.), the St James's Palace S., the Gold Cup, the Commonwealth Cup, and the Coronation S.

Nick Smith, Director of Racing and Public Affairs at Ascot Racecourse, said, “We are pleased to be delivering these prize-money increases in 2024 against a backdrop of uncertainty and an unprecedented number of negative headwinds for the industry. The financial impact on all facets of the industry is already being acutely felt.

“It is, however, crucial for Royal Ascot to maintain its position on the global stage at a time when participants at home and abroad have so many alternative lucrative options away from Britain.

“Whist the main increases have been made to the Royal Meeting to enable us to get to £10 million for the first time, we have made increases in other areas of the programme as well.

“These include increases to fit with the new Premier fixture structure, including at the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, where there is a particular focus on maintaining full fields.

“Importantly, no race at Ascot will be run for less than in 2023 including at our Core (non-Premier) fixtures. This is in spite of a reduction in central funding to this element of the programme, which has therefore required further increases in executive contribution.”

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