A new Hong Kong Garden will be in place at Newbury Racecourse when the track hosts five World Pool races on Saturday, May 18, including the G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. which headlines the fixture.
The Hong Kong Garden will offer themed food and drink, plus a range of entertainment including live performances from Albert Chau, the inaugural winner of Midlife, Sing and Shine, a talent competition run on terrestrial TV in Hong Kong.
Mark Leigh, interim CEO at Newbury Racecourse, said, “We're thrilled to introduce the new Hong Kong Garden for this year's Al Shaqab Lockinge with Ladies Day to mark and celebrate the growth of our partnership with World Pool. The Al Shaqab Lockinge is renowned for the breadth of entertainment it offers racegoers and this year's edition promises even more excitement; we're looking forward to everything's that in store.”
World Pool, the largest globally commingled horse racing pools, was created and is powered by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC). In January, it was announced that nine new race days had been added to the World Pool calendar in the first six months of 2024, with bettors from 28 countries able to bet into the same pools on those given days. The five World Pool races scheduled for the Lockinge meeting in 2024 also represents an increase from two last year.
Michael Fitzsimons, executive director, Wagering Products at the HKJC, said, “The likes of Shaquille and Warm Heart were both winners on the Al Shaqab Lockinge undercard last year, so we're pleased to be able to bring more of the quality racing from Newbury into World Pool in 2024.
“The Hong Kong-themed entertainment that Newbury Racecourse is putting on is a fun initiative to attract a wider audience to the races too, and we're sure the racegoers will really enjoy it.”
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