Racing
World Pool returns for Doncaster Mile and South African Derby Days
A total of 12 races to be globally commingled from Randwick and Turffontein
Doncaster Mile Day from Randwick and South African Derby Day from Turffontein will see a total of 12 races globally commingled by World Pool on Saturday 4 April.
World Pool returns to Sydney, Australia, for eight races on Doncaster Mile Day, featuring four Group 1s and headlined by the Doncaster Mile, a handicap that has been won by some of the greats of the Australian turf, including Sunline and Winx.
Group 1 Randwick Guineas winner, Sheza Alibi, who is aiming to become the first three-year-old filly to win the race since Sunline in 1991, will reoppose Autumn Boy who she defeated at Randwick. Autumn Boy has since won the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas on Golden Slipper Day and will aim to gain his revenge on Saturday.
In the Group 1 Australian Derby, the Ciaron Maher-trained Observer is aiming to join a select group of horses that have won this race and the Group 1 Victoria Derby, while Kiwi challenger Road To Paris is aiming to become the first New Zealand and Australian Derby winner since Mongolian Khan in 2015.
The Group 1 ATC Sires' Produce Stakes is the second leg of Australia's Two-Year-Old Triple Crown, with the first leg being the Group 1 Golden Slipper and the final leg being the Group 1 Champagne Stakes, set to be run on All Aged Stakes Day at Randwick on 18 April.
This year, Fireball, Campione d'Italia, Paradoxium, Zambales, Streisand all arrive here after running in the Golden Slipper, hoping to enhance the statistic of six of the last seven winners of this race who have previously contested the world's richest two-year-old race.
Some of Australia and the world's best sprinters line up in the Group 1 T J Smith Stakes, and this race will go a way to determining who will lead the charge against Ka Ying Rising in the Group 1 The Everest later in the year.
It promises to be a real spectacle with all of the nine runners previous Group 1 winners. Last year's winner Briasa returns to defend his crown, against the likes of Joliestar, who could be preparing for a Royal Ascot raid, Tentyris and Jimmysstar.
The other four races on the card are the Group 2 Chairman's Quality, Group 3 P J Bell Stakes, Group 3 HKJC World Pool Carbine Club Stakes and the Country Championships Final.
The Doncaster Mile and the T J Smith Stakes have both been featured in the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities Top 100 Group 1 races in the last three years.
In tandem with the action from Randwick, World Pool will also be in operation for four races on South African Derby Day from Turffontein in Johannesburg.
The feature Group 2 South African Derby has been won by some great past champions such as Horse Chestnut and Legal Eagle and this year's race features a competitive field of 13, topped by Oaks Trial winner Curious Girl, whose connections have opted to run in the Derby rather than the Oaks.
The Group 1 HKJC World Pool Premier's Champions Challenge field is headlined by the Justin Snaith-trained duo Okavango and See It Again – winner of the Group 1 Cape Town Met in January – while last year's winner Fire Attack returns to defend his crown.
The Corne Spies-trained William Robertson won the Group 1 Computaform Sprint 12 months ago and renews recent rivalry with Buffalo Storm Cody, who he lost out to in February's Pinnacle Stakes.
Turffontein's card also features the Group 1 Empress Club Stakes, where star mare Double Grand Slam will be aiming to land a fourth Group 1 prize of her career.
The World Pool bet types available on Doncaster Mile Day and South African Derby Day are as follows*:
Doncaster Mile Day: Win, Place, Quinella, Quinella Place (Duet), Tierce (Trifecta)
South African Derby Day: Win, Place, Quinella, Quinella Place (Swinger), Forecast (Exacta)
*Not every partner is taking all these bet-types so please refer to latest information by the operator(s) in your region.
For the full World Pool fixtures up to June 2026, please visit here.
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