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Strong European Challenge for Hong Kong’s Champions Day

Group 1 winners Regional (GB) (Territories {Ire}) and Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) head 12 European entries for the FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin on April 28. A strong international challenge also includes 25 potential runners from Japan, eight from Australia and three from the UAE, while there are 41 locally-trained entries.

Regional, now six, gave his trainer Ed Bethell a first Group 1 success in last year's Haydock Sprint Cup and he has been entered for the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize, with prize-money totalling approximately £2.2 million. His fellow British-trained horses Annaf (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), Believing (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) and Frost At Dawn (Frosted) are also entered.

The William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour, a dual Group 1 winner in Australia, would be returning for a third run in Hong Kong. He was fourth in the 2021 G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup and third last year in the G1 FWD QEII Cup, which this time around is worth approximately £2.8 million. Haggas has also entered Maljoom (Ire) (Caravaggio) for the G1 FWD Champions Mile, which could also feature Middleham Park Racing's globetrotting Brave Emperor (Ire) (Sioux Nation), trained by Archie Watson, and Fort Payne (Fr) (Rio De La Plata) for French trainer Nicolas Caullery.

Three of the winners of last December's Hong Kong International Races – Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) – hold entries for the meeting, along with Japan's Fillies' Triple Crown winner Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) and Godolphin's Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}), winner of the G1 Jebel Hatta in January.

“We are excited by the spread and quality of international entries among the nominations for FWD Champions Day,” said Andrew Harding, executive director of racing for the Hong Kong Jockey Cub.

“The potential return of Golden Sixty in the FWD Champions Mile after his stunning Longines Hong Kong Mile performance in December, along with Romantic Warrior in the FWD QEII Cup and Lucky Sweynesse in the Chairman's Sprint Prize, lays the foundation for another wonderful staging of our spring flagship meeting.

“We are delighted at the support we have received from overseas owners and trainers in Japan, England, France, Ireland, Australia and the United Arab Emirates, with the number of entries across our three Group 1 features rising from 71 last season to 89 this year.”

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James Ross To Join HKJC

Australian Turf Club (ATC) Head Of Racing and Wagering James Ross will shortly take up a leading role with the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) after eight years at the ATC. He announced his resignation on Thursday and will finish his tenure with the ATC after this year's Autumn carnival.

“James has been instrumental in ATC remaining at the forefront of racing in Australia,” CEO Matt Galanos told Racing NSW. “He has ensured ATC has continued to forge a reputation as an industry leader through the delivery of a world-class racing product and development of both racing and training surfaces. James has led a team which has also greatly improved the ownership experience, industry and wagering initiatives along with significant growth in international participation across Autumn and Spring carnivals. We thank James for his outstanding service and it is measure of not only his talent but also the standing of Sydney racing that the Hong Kong Jockey Club has offered him such a role.”

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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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Blue Diamond Stakes Latest Addition To World Pool In 2024

Australia's G1 Blue Diamond S. in February will be part of the Hong Kong Jockey Club's World Pool for the first time in 2024, the HKJC announced on Wednesday.

Held at Caulfield, the Blue Diamond on Feb. 24 will become the sixth World Pool event in Australia, after the Turnbull S. Day, The Everest Day, Caulfield Cup Day, Cox Plate Day and Victoria Derby Day. A trio of Australian races filled out the top five World Pool turnover races of 2023, with the HK$60 million (approx. £6 million) staked on October's Cox Plate meaning it was the second highest turnover of any race last year, and the fifth highest World Pool turnover race ever run.

The first World Pool event of 2024 will be held at Kenilworth Racecourse–the Cape Town Met Day on Jan. 27. Next on the calendar will be the Blue Diamond S., which is run on the same day as the Saudi Cup meeting at King Abdulaziz Racecourse. All three World Pool fixtures will be for selected races at the meetings.

Michael Fitzsimons, executive director, Wagering Products of the HKJC, said, “The introduction of World Pool in Australia in 2023 was a major success story with six new race days being opened up to global punters and exceptional turnover being generated.

“We're hoping to build on that momentum in 2024 and are thrilled that World Pool will be operational on Blue Diamond S. Day for the first time. We are excited to be covering such an important 2-year-old contest, as well as returning to Kenilworth for Cape Town Met Day and King Abdulaziz for Saudi Cup Day.”

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