SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
World Pool reported a record turnover on Lockinge Stakes Day last weekend at Newbury racecourse.
The fixture featured five World Pool races for the first time, an increase from two races in 2023.
Powered by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), World Pool’s total turnover for the meet hit HK$145.3m (approx. £14.6m), up from HK$66m (approx. £6.7m) in 2023.
“There was a surprise result in the feature G1 Lockinge Stakes, as Audience, the runner many thought was a pacemaker for his better fancied stablemate Inspiral, never saw another rival and came home in front under rider Rab Havlin,” a statement from the HKJC read.
“It marked a second win at the highest level for Havlin, and a second Lockinge Stakes for John & Thady Gosden.”
Meanwhile, for the third time this season, the UK & Irish Jockeys’ Championship saw riders compete for points determined by World Pool dividends, and while Silvestre de Sousa remained top on 44.10 points, there was plenty of movement in the top five.
Audience’s win at a World Pool dividend of 21.85 was enough to catapult Rab Havlin into the top five, and meant he emerged as the leading rider on the day.
Clifford Lee notched a double, with Elite Status winning the Listed Carnarvon Stakes at a World Pool dividend of 6.95 and Lethal Levi landing the HKJC World Pool handicap at a dividend of 8.80. It was Lee’s third win of the Championship and saw him rise to fourth in the table on 27.00 points.
Oisin Murphy maintained his position in third place with a win in the G3 Aston Park Stakes aboard Middle Earth (3.65), while William Buick was also successful on the day, riding King’s Gambit (4.80) to an impressive success in the London Gold Cup Handicap.
Next up for World Pool will be a debut on Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh this weekend, and following that a return to the UK for a full card of races on Derby Day from Epsom on 1 June, while the globally commingled pools will also be in action on the same day from Eagle Farm for Queensland Derby Day.
