Turnover increase could result in additional World Pool day at Glorious Goodwood next year

Goodwood could be granted an additional World Pool day in 2026 after turnover increased by nearly 11 per cent during last week’s meeting.

The World Pool, which was created by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) and is operated by the Tote in Britain, was available on the first three days of Glorious Goodwood for the fifth time this year.

Turnover increased to HK$793.2 million (£76m) last week from HK$715.3m (£68.5m) last year, with Thursday’s rain-drenched Nassau Stakes card the most engaging for punters with HK$270.8m (£25.95m) bet into the pools during the course of the day’s racing.

The engagement has prompted the HKJC to propose that the first four days of next year’s Glorious Goodwood should be open to the World Pool, pending government approval.

James Crespi, racecourse director at Goodwood, said: “This continued growth highlights the strength of the initiative, which remains a fantastic asset for horseracing. It enables us to reinvest in the sport and ensure our race programme remains as compelling and competitive as possible.”

An increase in the number of runners at Goodwood on the opening three days was praised by Sam Nati, HKJC head of commingling, with this providing a stronger platform for the range of bets offered by World Pool.

He said: “Not surprisingly, Glorious Goodwood provided a little bit of everything this year and even the biblical rainfall failed to dampen turnover which was up almost 11 per cent compared to 2024.

“It was great for World Pool to provide additional race sponsorship over the three days and congratulations to Goodwood for attracting much deeper fields this year with total starters up from 253 to 279 setting the platform for strong customer engagement.”

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