UK & Irish Flat season sees record HK$5.1 billion World Pool turnover

World Pool turnover has hit a new season-long high in the UK and Ireland, rising to HK$5.1bn following its conclusion on British Champions Day at Ascot last Saturday.

The figure has risen 11.7% from 2024 (HK$4.6bn) and is also up on the record year of 2023 where turnover on World Pool bet types for UK and Ireland fixtures totalled HK$4.7bn.

Turnover highlights this season include all five days of Royal Ascot 2025 outperforming 2024 – notably Prince of Wales’s Stakes Day, where turnover hit HK$330.7m, up 11.0% on the previous year, and Commonwealth Cup Day, which saw another 16.3% turnover increase to HK$329.7m. British Champions Day also saw a new turnover record for the meeting at HK$206.2m.

Punters in the UK and Ireland saw the benefit of World Pool on British Champions Day, with the Tote price beating industry SP in three of the six races.

World Pool punters in the UK and Ireland, betting via Tote, have also enjoyed some exceptional value this season.

Tote Value:

• Tote Win beat the Industry Starting Price in 48% of races

• A £1 bet with the Tote on every winner on British and Irish World Pool days in 2025 paid £171.44 more than the industry Starting Price

• Tote Exacta beat Forecast in 73% of races, returning on average 30% more

• Tote Trifecta beat Tricast in 74% of races where the Tricast operated, returning on average 57% more

 Launched by the Hong Kong Jockey Club at Royal Ascot in 2019, World Pool has now generated £65 million in revenue for UK and Irish racecourses, a figure that’s risen from £50m at the start of 2025.

Charitable initiatives remain a key part of World Pool’s operation, and this season, World Pool have continued to support grooms and stable staff through the World Pool Moment of the Day. This initiative, which began in 2022, rewards grooms with a £4,000 prize should their horse be chosen as the day’s most memorable moment at fixtures featuring six or more World Pool races.

With 19 Moment of the Day’s chosen across the UK and Ireland this season, a total of £76,000 has been awarded by World Pool to winning grooms and stable staff.

This year also featured the second edition of the World Pool Jockeys’ Championship, which saw Oisin Murphy follow in the footsteps of Billy Loughnane by winning the £50,000 charity donation. Murphy chose to split his prize equally between the Motor Neurone Disease Association and Racing Welfare.

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Sam Nati, Head of Commingling at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: “There are many components to our World Pool strategy, but the revenue flowing back to the racecourses from turnover is pivotal to sustainability and the cornerstone to growing prizemoney, building confidence and encouraging investment. Some of the challenges faced by the industry were highlighted in the results we saw this season. For example, in 2024 Royal Ascot clashed with Euros and Goodwood with the Olympic Games. The bounce in 2025 shows the appeal racing continues to have, but also how competitive the overall sporting landscape is which racing must strive to be a part of.

“I’ve really enjoyed the success of the World Pool initiatives such as the £4,000 Moment of the Day and our £50,000 Jockeys’ Championship. Both competitions have produced feel good stories throughout the campaign, capped by Racing Welfare and the MND Association receiving £25,000 each on British Champions Day at Ascot.”

Alex Frost, Chief Executive of the UK Tote Group, said: “It’s been great to see World Pool enjoy another really successful year, providing customers with great value betting opportunities and significant income for the sport which is growing year-on-year.

“Nearly half of all winners on UK and Irish World Pool days paid bigger on the UK Tote than the Industry SP. Throughout the summer, the Tote’s Money Back Second Offer which has resulted in over £128,465 returned to UK and Irish customers on World Pool days when their horses were beaten into second place.

“We’re excited by the continued expansion of World Pool days around the globe and will work hard with our partners to ensure British and Irish racing continues to benefit from opportunities World Pool brings to the sport.”

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Feature image credit: Focus on Racing