The World Pool is again open for business at The Championships, and its British import Via Sistina who is some $2.25 with betting agencies for the $5m Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Fresh from a first-up 1¼ length victory over stable-mate and €4.3m French buy Place Du Carrousel, it was Via Sistina who was a ¾ length ’critised ride’ second in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Rated a high 117 as an older mare coming to Australia, she won the Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh in July, having been placed in the Prix Jean Romanet and the Falmouth Stakes, all Group 1.

Again in the hands of champion James Mc Donald for Chris Waller and in the emerald green and white silks of Yulong, she’s drawn Gate 5 carrying 57kg in the w-f-a Queen Elizabeth of 2000m.

A 2.7m Gns buy at the 2023 Tattersalls December Sale via Evergreen Equine, she’s by the Coolmore shuttle sire Fastnet Rock from the unraced Galileo dam Nigh, who in 2021 made 74,000 Gns.

As family of dual Group 1 sprinter Kingsgate Native, Via Vistina was a 5,000 Gns buy for Beck Hillen of Stephen Hillen Bloodstock, with Nigh selling again for 200,000 Gns in-foal to Too Darn Hot.

However, it’s the front-running style of Pride of Jenni that has made her the ‘darling’ of Melbourne and is quoted around $4.50 with agencies, again to be ridden by Declan Bates for Ciaron Maher.

In coming off a neck second to Cascadian in the Australia Cup at Flemington, she scored an on-pace victory in the $2m All-Star Stakes, having been a second to Mr Brightside in the CF Orr Stakes.

Also winner of the Cantala Stakes and Empire Rose Stakes, she was a $100,000 Inglis Classic buy, from the Group 1 family of Vouvray, A Touch of Ruby, Loir, by Coolmore shuttler Pride of Dubai.

With Pride of Jenni starting from Gate 3, it’s the 9yo Cascadian who jumps from 6 at around $7 with Ben Melham, the Hayes trained Mr Brightside $10 and French mare Place du Carrousel $11.

And yes, it’s the HKJC World Pool that’s open for business, and for the first-time it’s all 10-races at this Saturday’s Randwick Queen Elizabeth Day, with Tancred Stakes Day hitting HK$50.3 million.

Straight to business, and of courses the Win Bet is selecting the winner, with a 17.5% takeout rate, while the Quinella is selecting the first or second past the post also with a 17.5% takeout rate.

While Place betting is picking any one of the first two horses with 4-6 starters, three horses for 7-20 starters and four horses >= 21 starters, and with a 17.5% takeout rate.

Quinella Place is any two of the first three horses in any order, and with also with a 17.5% takeout rate, while Trifecta is the first three horses past the post in order, and with a 22% takeout.

However, the Quinella Place is the most popular with bettors at a 24.2% rate, while the Quinella that’s at 24%, and down to 19.5% for the Win, 16.2% for the Place and the Trifecta at 6.3%.

Although not available Saturday, its 6.1% for the Forecast or Exacta being the first and second in correct order and 19.5% takeout, while the Treble is 3.7% for three select races, and 25% rate.

‘The World Pool is collaboration between Hong Kong Jockey Club and global totalizator businesses, bringing together parimutuel operators across four continents, for wagering global liquidity.’

‘In enabling punters to bet into larger and more stable pools, the result is that larger bets wagered into the World Pool will have less impact on the dividend as the pot is much larger.’

“Today the HKJC World Pool is the largest globally commingled horse racing pools created and driven by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, that brings together top-class international racing.’

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