Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) and the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) announced this weekend an agreement in which Canadian customers can now wager directly into the HKJC betting pools, effective Sunday, Oct. 23 from Sha Tin Race Course in Hong Kong.

The HKJC’s world-class race meetings will now also be broadcast live in Cantonese to Canadian viewers via the distribution platform of TVBI Company Limited (TVBI) and aired on Fairchild TV.

“This is an exciting day for horse racing fans in Canada as Hong Kong racing is very popular in this country,” said Sean Pinsonneault, WEG’s Executive Vice-President, Strategy and Wagering. “We are delighted to partner with an esteemed, forward thinking organization like the Hong Kong Jockey Club in their world-wide commingled wagering pools initiative for our valued customers in Canada. Clearly, world-wide commingled pools are the way of the future and Woodbine is pleased to be at forefront of this advance, providing our customers access to some of the largest wagering pools in the world.”

Wagering pools on a typical betting card in Hong Kong are generally over $20 million (Canadian) per race.

Racing from Hong Kong is offered on Wednesday mornings at 7 a.m. (Eastern) from Happy Valley and late Friday or Saturday nights after midnight (Eastern) from Sha Tin. It will be available on HPIbet.com and at select Champions Off-Track Betting outlets across Ontario.

The first program under the agreement occurred late Saturday night into Sunday morning at 1 a.m. (ET) as first race post time from Sha Tin is 1 p.m. (Hong Kong time).

“This is an exciting and important step to bring Hong Kong’s world-leading standard of racing and wagering excellence to Canadian audiences and customers that will result in broadening the appeal of the Hong Kong Jockey Club brand around the world,” said Mr. Richard Cheung, the HKJC’s Executive Director, Customer and Marketing. “As TVB is at the heart of popular culture, not only in Hong Kong but also amongst the Cantonese speaking population around the world. We believe that the new broadcast arrangement and commingling deal will meet the demands of overseas racing fans as well as further strengthening Hong Kong horse racing in the international community.”

Horse racing fans in British Columbia are expected to have access to the HKJC wagering pools by December.

(With files from WEG)