Dog-gone: New Zealand greyhound racing comes to an end
New Zealand's greyhound racing industry stages its final races on Friday, bringing the curtain down on the sport and shifting attention to the rehoming of around 1400 dogs.
Bren O'Brien's Latest Articles
🔒 🔒 Betr’s ‘inflection point’: Product and World Cup boosts deliver five-year high
Strong World Cup engagement, product-led customer retention and tighter cost controls helped betr post its first cash flow-positive quarter in five years, hailed by the bookmaker as a turning point in its trajectory.
Hazzard review contract extended again, but submission deadline approaches
A key review into the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Act is expected to be completed within days, with a revised July 31 deadline for Brad Hazzard to deliver his report.
🔒 🔒 Living in the juvenile past? What will become of Australia’s two-year-old racing?
The decline of participation in Australia’s two-year-old ranks is accelerating, prompting strategic resets by some of the country’s biggest stables, and questions about whether the racing program needs to adapt to meet the new reality, writes Bren O’Brien.
Track closures a key part of strategy to reform ‘over-venued and under-capitalised’ NZ industry
New Zealand would lose at least five thoroughbred tracks in the short-to-medium term under a key proposal which will see a massive change to the geographical footprint of both horse racing codes across the North and South Island.
Melbourne Cup, The Everest approved for Japanese betting market
The addition of The Everest to the list of the Japan Racing Association’s approved betting events is set to incentivise greater international participation in the sprint feature, while Japanese punters will also be able to bet on the Melbourne Cup for the first time since 2019.
Run The Numbers – The ageless quality of Australia’s champion jockeys
At 49, Craig Williams may become Melbourne’s oldest premiership-winning jockey but he is far from alone when it comes to defying his birth certificate to eclipse the best in town this season.
Beyond the Slipper: Bott extends the Tulloch Lodge vision
The deal to move into Leilani Lodge represents more than just an expanded footprint for Adrian Bott as he spearheads a strategic pivot away from two-year-old racing, designed to keep his training partnership with Gai Waterhouse at the forefront of Australia’s training ranks.
Two Australian sires titles set to go down to the wire
Home Affairs is chasing down Snitzel in the two-year-old sires standings, while Bivouac and Wootton Bassett remain locked in a tight contest for second-season sire honours.
“We can’t just redo the Constitution” – National regulator scotched as Labor commits to strengthening existing federal powers
Labor has stopped short of backing a national gambling regulator, instead pledging to strengthen the powers of existing federal agencies, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defends his government’s commitment to gambling reform.
