William Derby

From its launch in 2019, covering the five days of Royal Ascot, the World Pool has grown gradually to 33 race days this year across eight different countries. It is fair to expect to see that expansion continue apace. The international commingling of betting pools was the brainchild of Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, CEO of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, which powers World Pool. Twenty-eight jurisdictions can now bet into that pool. "It is our vision to bring the world's finest racing to domestic customers all year round," states the World Pool...

It was said to be a source of "great disappointment" to the BHA's Flat Pattern Committee that its partners in Europe could not unanimously agree on an upgrade to the G2 Sky Bet City of York Stakes back in February. Had the application been approved by the European Pattern Committee (EPC), it would have seen the the race become the only Group 1 to be run over seven furlongs in Britain. This was no hit-and-hope attempt by York to attain that status, rather the culmination of a 12-year-plan, in conjunction...

The G1 Juddmonte International, rated the Longines World's Best Race in 2020, will be run for a record £1.25 million in 2024, York Racecourse and Juddmonte announced on Friday. In 2023, the Juddmonte International was worth £1 million and produced another high-class winner in Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who ended the year as the joint highest-rated horse in the world outside Japan. The feature event on the opening day of the Sky Bet Ebor Festival also retained its position as one of the top ten races in the world. The...

A trio of Group 1 races at the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival on Aug.18-21 and the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. on May 13 have all had their prize money boosted to pre-COVID levels, the racecourse announced on Wednesday. The G1 Juddmonte International on Aug. 18, rated the Longines World's Best Horse Race in 2020, will once again be worth £1 million, while the Aug. 19 G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks will be run for £400,000. The purse of the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. will also...

The 54th International Conference of Horseracing Authorities began on Monday in a virtual format, with a series of videos to be released over the first two weeks of October. The conference organized by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities is traditionally held in Paris, France on the day after the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, but the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a virtual format this year. The first panel was entitled 'Sustaining the Business of Racing and Sports in the Midst of a Global Pandemic and Economic Uncertainty.' Hosted by media...

Following consultation with York Racecourse and the Horsemen's Group, York's application to revise the conditions of the Goffs Premier Yearling S. has been approved, the British Horseracing Authority announced on Tuesday. Slated for Aug. 20 during the second day of the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival, the race's prize money has been reduced to £180,000, with the third and fourth stages of the race now notpayable. There will also be a partial refund made to owners of the first (£120) and second (£240) stage entrants. The remaining conditions of the...

In the midst of a hot streak for Japanese-bred runners in Britain, 2017 G1 Japan Cup winner Cheval Grand (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) is gearing up for a second British start of the summer in the G1 Juddmonte International at York on Aug. 21. The 7-year-old entire kicked off 2019 with a second in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic on Mar. 30, after which he was beaten 13 lengths by Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. on July 27, an effort assistant...