Bren O'Brien

Bren O'Brien

Total 535 Posts
Bren is the founder and managing editor of The Straight.

State government to examine process over Racing NSW's Queanbeyan land management role

NSW treasurer Daniel Mookhey says Racing NSW’s status as crown land manager of Queanbeyan racecourse will be reviewed, following concerns about how the process was handled.

Hoad’s road to integration - Racing Victoria’s media pivot

Andy Hoad, Racing Victoria’s latest recruit, helped Entain build an integrated media business from the ground up. But bringing Victoria’s racing media assets together into one functional business is a hill on which plenty of previous executives have faltered.

Has the number of yearlings offered at auction in Australia reached its tipping point?

The Inglis Classic Sale performed beyond expectations in most key metrics, but the volume of horses passed in across the first two Australian yearling sales of 2025 raises the question, are there too many yearlings being offered for public auction in Australia?

Crown plans – Racing NSW assumes land management of five racecourses

Nearly 200 hectares of Crown land occupied by racecourses at Port Macquarie, Inverell, Coffs Harbour, Queanbeyan and Armidale came under the management of Racing NSW in 2024.

Run The Numbers – A Shocking feat that even Zabeel and Sir Tristram can’t match

Shocking has become just the second stallion this century to secure a New Zealand Group 1 double on the same day. Run The Numbers looks at the Rich Hill resident’s record and where he sits in comparison to his fellow winners of the Melbourne Cup.

The five biggest priorities for new NZTR CEO Matt Ballesty

Newly appointed New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing CEO Matt Ballesty won’t have much time to get his feet warm under the desk when he takes the hot seat on March 5. There is a list of tasks a mile long and we’ve singled out the top five in importance and urgency.

From showy to steady – Bluebet’s betr growth strategy builds on TopSport acquisition

Australia's most determined wagering suitor, betr/Bluebet, has wed its most eligible bachelor, Queensland-based TopSport in a $10 million deal, as Matthew Tripp’s latest bookmaking project takes gradual steps towards realising its ambitions.
You've successfully subscribed to The Straight
Great! Next, complete checkout for full access to The Straight
Welcome back! You've successfully signed in.
Unable to sign you in. Please try again.
Success! Your account is fully activated, you now have access to all content.
Error! Stripe checkout failed.
Success! Your billing info is updated.
Error! Billing info update failed.
 Become a member