World Pool, the world’s largest pooled horse racing betting system created and powered by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, has announced a partnership with French Champion Jockey Mickaël Barzalona, who will serve as an ambassador and provide expert insights ahead of major international racedays.
As retained rider for the Aga Khan Studs, Barzalona has partnered major Group 1 winners around the world and is particularly associated with Calandagan, the 2025 Longines World’s Best Racehorse, who won at the highest level in France, the UK and Japan, as well as Daryz, winner of the 2025 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
As part of the collaboration, the French star jockey will deliver exclusive race previews and expert analysis for major World Pool events, while also featuring in promotional initiatives across key international markets.
Barzalona joins four-time Longines World’s Best Jockey Ryan Moore as a World Pool ambassador. “World Pool by PMU” is a partnership between PMU and the Hong Kong Jockey Club that enables international participation in the common betting pools for selected major French races, with the pools hosted and operated by PMU under French regulations.
Commenting on his new role as a World Pool ambassador, Mickaël Barzalona said: “It’s fantastic to be an ambassador for World Pool, which has benefited the global racing industry in many ways over the last few years. Hopefully, the partnership between World Pool and the PMU can help showcase French racing to a wider audience and give back to the sport. In France, we have some of the greatest racing in the world, and I’m excited to share my thoughts on our top-class racing with fans in Hong Kong and around the world.”
“Mickaël Barzalona is a greatly respected name in France, here in Hong Kong, and on the wider international stage, and we are delighted to welcome him as a World Pool ambassador,” added Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Racing at the Hong Kong Jockey Club. “As a French Champion Jockey who has won countless international Group 1 races, Mickaël is without doubt one of the leading riders in the world, as well as an eloquent and respected voice for horse racing globally.
“With World Pool’s strategic partnership with the PMU, Mickaël is the ideal person to showcase the very best of French racing to our global audience. His passion and dedication to horse racing align perfectly with the values of the World Pool brand, and we very much look forward to working together.”
