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The World Pool, powered by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), witnessed a record-setting win dividend at Royal Ascot.
Rashabar, ridden by Billy Loughnane, clinched victory in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes, returning 129.90 versus an SP of 80/1. This marked the highest price paid in any World Pool race since its inception in 2019.
Gold Cup Day saw the highest turnover of the week, reaching HK$298.2m ($38.1m), followed closely by Prince of Wales’s Stakes Day and Commonwealth Cup Day.
The total turnover for World Pool bet types during the week amounted to HK$1.426bn, with Saturday’s Group 3 Jersey Stakes achieving the highest single-race turnover of HK$52.1m.
Rashabar’s victory also propelled Billy Loughnane to the top of the World Pool Jockeys’ Championship standings, earning him 129.90 points for his win.
Regarding the achievement, Billy Loughnane stated: “I’m delighted to be leading the World Pool Jockeys’ Championship after Royal Ascot. Winning the Coventry on Rashabar was a dream come true and then to win the Sandringham on Soprano for George [Boughey] and Highclere was incredible.
“It’s a great initiative by World Pool to donate £50,000 to charity and if I am still in front on Champions Day, then I’ll be donating it to the Christy Lambe Foundation, which is a charity very close to my heart.”
Alex Frost, Chief Executive of the UK Tote, also commented: “We all enjoyed the most sensational five days of racing. I would like to congratulate Alastair Warwick and the whole team at Ascot for all their hard work in ensuring the Royal meeting was once again the racing highlight of the summer.
“Tote customers benefited from huge pools and exceptional value with 20 winners better priced with the Tote and the pool operating to an overround of only 113%, compared to in Industry SP of 124%. We are all very much looking forward to the rest of the World Pool season which ensures racing fans and the sport benefit from global pools.”
