World Pool 2025: Record HK$10.9bn Turnover Signals Global Racing Maturity

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has reported a spectacular 2025 for World Pool, confirming its status as the premier liquidity hub for international horse racing. With a 20% surge in overseas turnover and a series of history-making betting handle records, World Pool is effectively globalizing the sport’s revenue streams.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 2025

The numbers for 2025 reflect a strategic expansion into new jurisdictions and a focus on high-quality IFHA-rated races.

The “Ka Ying Rising” Phenomenon

The standout moment of 2025 occurred on The Everest Day at Randwick. The appearance of the world’s highest-rated sprinter, Ka Ying Rising, drove a wagering surge that redefined modern betting records.

• New Single Race Record: HK$83.0 million was wagered on The Everest, shattering the previous high held by the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (HK$66.2m) at Royal Ascot.

• Jurisdictional Reach: Betting was commingled from 27 different jurisdictions, ensuring massive pool depth and stable dividends for punters worldwide.

Global Scale: 10 Jurisdictions and IFHA Quality

World Pool didn’t just grow in volume; it grew in quality. Of the 329 races run under the banner in 2025, 70 featured in the IFHA Top 100 rankings within the last three years.

For the first time, all of Hong Kong’s Group 1 contests were commingled as World Pool races, adding HK$1.6 billion in liquidity to the local fixtures.

Supporting the Sport: Moment of the Year

World Pool’s commitment to stable staff saw HK$1.2 million awarded to 30 grooms.

The 2025 Moment of the Year went to Kevin Daffy, the trainer-owner-groom of the Australian “fairytale horse” Oh Too Good. Daffy beat out international heavyweights like Forever Young and Via Sistina in a public vote, securing a VIP trip for four to Hong Kong in 2026.

2026 Outlook: Expansion and Innovation

Andrew Harding, Executive Director of Racing at the HKJC, highlighted that 2026 will focus on further “globalization of racing.”

• Next Fixture: World Pool returns on 10 January 2026 with King’s Plate Day from Kenilworth, South Africa.

• Strategy: Expect an expansion of fixtures and deeper integration into North American and Middle Eastern racing calendars.

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