Great Britain and Ireland benefit from an extensive global pool

Britain and Ireland are on course to benefit from additional World Pool meetings this year as part of an expanded fixture list, with the Shergar Cup, July Cup (G1) and Irish Oaks (G1) meetings all set to be included, pending approval from the Hong Kong government.

Glorious Goodwood and York’s Ebor festival could also expand their fixtures from three to four, with King George Stakes day (July 31) and City of York Stakes day (August 22), including the Ebor, potentially added.

The 2026 World Pool fixture list includes several new meetings from Australia and South Africa, where 10 races on King’s Plate Day from Kenilworth on January 10 and races from Turffonte on March 7 will be combined for the first time. A number of Australian additions have been confirmed for the first quarter of the year, most notably Golden Slipper Day, which will see all 10 races from Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, including the March 21 Golden Slipper (G1).

Before then, the World Pool will be in use for the first time on Australian Guineas Day at Flemington and Chipping Norton Stakes Day at Randwick, both on February 28. Randwick’s All Aged Stakes (G1) and August 22 Winx Stakes (G1) can be added, as can Caulfield’s Memsie Stakes Day (August 29).

“World Pool continues to expand and strengthen with so many of the best races and race days from around the world, and we are excited to announce even more new competitions for the first quarter of 2026,” said Andrew Harding, executive director of racing at the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

“We look forward to the debut of World Pool at new meetings in Australia and South Africa, as well as returning competitions in the first few months of the year, while we expect to confirm further new World Pool race days in Britain, Ireland, Australia and other countries later this year. These are hugely exciting times for World Pool and we plan to build on an excellent year in 2025.”

An increase in the number of race days in the World Pool led to a nearly 20% increase in revenue at races outside Hong Kong by 2025. The number of international meetings outside Hong Kong increased from 48 in 2024 to 57 in 2025, bringing the total amount wagered in the HKJC-powered pools to HK$9.3 billion (approximately US$1.2 billion), up from HK$7.8 billion in 2024.