GB: John Gosden has recognised the importance of the global wagering platform World Pool as a source of extra funding for British racing by warning that without it the sport “will just wither on the vine”.
Britain’s four-time champion trainer described internationalising pool betting as “essential” as World Pool announced 17 racedays in Britain and Ireland have been selected for commingling in 2022, the fourth year since it first launched.
Led by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, World Pool is a collaboration of global totes from over 20 countries which enables bettors from around the world to bet into a single pool. In 2021, £373 million ($473m) was bet into pools involving British and Irish races of which York’s Nunthorpe Stakes produced the biggest individual pool of £3.99m ($5m).
Cazoo Oaks day at Epsom is the new addition to the roster of festival racedays but Gosden warned an equine talent drain was putting field sizes under threat, with at least seven runners required for the pool to offer the full suite of bets.
“The problem with our racing now as we stand in Tattersalls, we have become a nursery, we create them to go elsewhere in the world,” he said, speaking in Newmarket at the 2022 World Pool launch.
“As a trainer anything that is rated 95-plus is gone right after Royal Ascot. They are not there the next year.
“You talk about field sizes,” Gosden went on. “How do you have depth of field for races like the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot which averages about six or seven runners?
“Without striking out to the World Pool, internationalising our market, we are going to go nowhere. That’s why this is essential. We have a Gambling Commission coming right down the road like a bullet between our eyes.
“I personally don’t bet. I’m not interested in gambling but without it we don’t exist. We have become very parochial here, quite pleased with ourselves. We have to link in. Without that we will just wither on the vine.”
The World Pool was launched in 2019 as a collaboration between the HKJC, Ascot racecourse and the UK Tote. In that first year, only the five days of Royal Ascot were on the schedule from Britain, and $24m was bet.
This year’s European offering will start with Qipco 2,000 Guineas day on April 30 and end with Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot on October 15.
Alex Frost, chief executive of the UK Tote group, said: “There is an opportunity to get a lot of money from around the world into the UK and Ireland racing. This is a very proven template now. The future is particularly exciting.
“Where racing is fortunate is that it has this global pool mechanic whereby increased volumes on betting benefits the underlying sport. When you see the impact of World Pool so far, betting volumes in Asia go up tenfold. It’s a massive opportunity.”
He added: “So far this has been a pilot project and still we are seeing upwards of £25m ($32m) bet each day and £363m ($473m) bet last year. These are big numbers.”
Newmarket trainer William Haggas said: “This is coming to fruition and, my God, how exciting it could be as a generator of revenue for racing but also spreading the word around the world about how good our racing is, if we can keep up that standard.
“For me that’s the most important thing,” he went on. “We are sort of slipping down the scale a bit and we’ve got to keep it up. These pools are going to be absolutely fantastic and the more money that is in there, the more we’ll all benefit. I can’t think of anything more exciting in my latter stages of training. I think it’s fantastic.”
World Pool is introducing a ‘Moment of the Year’, drawn from the 16 ‘moments of the day’ (in the lead-up to Champions Day) when a member of stable staff associated with each winning horse will receive $1,300 and a bottle of champagne. The stable which wins the overall best moment will receive $44,000.
Seven bet types will be available for World Pool races in 2022, among them for the first time the Exacta (first two in correct order) and the Treble (multi-leg bet involving three winners).
HKJC chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges welcomed the expansion into 2022.
“Having been launched at Royal Ascot in 2019, in partnership with Ascot racecourse and UK Tote, we are delighted that World Pool is now in its fourth year and going from strength-to-strength,” he said.
“It provides a global wagering platform to improve the customer experience and generates additional income to our valued partners, contributing to the sustainability of racing and the funding of prize-money.
“I have been advocating for international commingling since 2007 so the positive response from bettors and racing jurisdictions to this important innovation in pool betting has been incredibly beneficial for all involved, resulting in greater exposure for British and Irish racing and their major race meetings.”
British and Irish World Pool racedays 2022
Qipco 2000 Guineas Day – Newmarket, Saturday April 3
Cazoo Oaks Day Epsom, Friday June 3
Cazoo Derby Day Epsom, Saturday June 4
Royal Ascot Ascot, Tuesday June 14 to Saturday June 18
Qipco King George Diamond Day Ascot, Saturday July 23
Qatar Goodwood Festival Goodwood, Tuesday July 26 to Thursday July 28
Ebor Festival York, Wednesday August 17 to Friday August 19
Longines Irish Champions Day Leopardstown, Saturday September 10
Qipco British Champions Day Ascot, Saturday October 15