In today's Straight Shorts, bookmaker betr acquires a big stake in PointsBet, Berry The Cash flies New Zealand flag at Warrnambool, Asfoora presses on to Royal Ascot, World Pool to operate on South Australian Derby meeting, Pride Of Jenni in surprise Melbourne nomination and some Kentucky Derby information.
Betr confirms big PointsBet play
Betr has stepped up its play for rival PointsBet by securing 19.9 per cent of the wagering company.
Betr, which changed its corporate trading name from Bluebet Holdings earlier this month, told the ASX it would halt trading “pending it releasing an announcement regarding the outcome of the institutional component of the accelerated entitlement offer”.
It then put out a further release confirming its relevant interest in the takeover target, acquiring just over 66 million shares in PointsBet on Monday.
It is scheduled to hold a quarterly investor call on Tuesday, with confirmation expected of where it sits in its ambition to acquire PointsBet.
PointsBet’s board has previously stated it was recommending shareholders accept a rival bid from Japanese-backed MIXI. Shareholders are expected to vote on that proposal in June.
The Australian Financial Review reported over the weekend that betr was shoring up $100 million in equity raising that would help bankroll its takeover bid for PointsBet.
NZ jumper adds trans Tasman aspect to Warrnambool carnival
Berry The Cash will add a New Zealand flavour to Warrnambool with the star Kiwi jumper in line to contest a famed carnival double.
The eight-year-old, a son of Jakkalberry, will open his Australian account with 71kg in the $150,000 Brierley Steeplechase (3450m) on Tuesday.
He is also an acceptor for the carnival’s signature race, the $350,000 Grand Annual Steeplechase, on Thursday.
Trainer Mark Oulaghan said he intended to give Berry The Cash an opportunity to run in the Brierley and the Grand Annual.
“He’ll have to go pretty well tomorrow to back up, but we intend to do so if possible,” he told the NZ News Desk.
Berry The Cash, who has won 10 of his 36 starts, has been given a familiarisation trial at Warrnambool to cap off his build-up after two Flat runs in New Zealand.
“He came over here and had a jumping trial, it didn’t quite pan out how we’d wanted but he jumped well and finished it off so that was the main thing,” Oulaghan said.
Oulaghan has campaigned several horses in Australia, including at Oakbank, but Berry The Cash will be his first Warrnambool runner.
Asfoora locked in for Royal Ascot despite Sangster disappointment
Asfoora will defend her King Charles III Stakes crown at Royal Ascot without a northern hemisphere lead-in run.
Trainer Henry Dwyer confirmed on Monday that Asfoora will have next start in the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes (1000m).
He hopes the mare can be flown to the UK in the middle of May but, at the latest, she will arrive on June 4 - two weeks before the King Charles on June 18.
Asfoora, a first-up winner of the RN Irwin Stakes at Morphettville on April 12, finished seventh in the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes on Saturday.
But Dwyer has given her a clean bill of health.
"A two-week turnaround with a solid gallop on the Tuesday, a trip over there, it was probably all a bit too much,” Dwyer told Racing.com.
"Despite the fact it was 1200 metres and she raced a bit wide, I still thought she was entitled to go better and finish closer - she just raced a bit flat for mine.”
Asfoora will be prepared from Newmarket in England after Dwyer abandoned a plan to have his stable star trained out of Chantilly in France.
SA Derby to feature on World Pool
Three races on South Australian Derby day at Morphettville on Saturday will feature as part of World Pool.
In a first for South Australian racing, the feature race, which has produced a host of future Hong Kong horses over recent years, including 2022 winner Jungle Magnate and 2018 victor Leicester, will be beamed globally including back into Hong Kong along with two other races.
The trio of races will form the first part of a 12-race World Pool fixture on Saturday which also includes nine races on 2000 Guineas Day from Newmarket.
The Doomben 10,000 and Doomben Cup meetings and May 17 and May 24 are also on the World Pool fixture list as well as Stradbroke Handicap day in June.
Pride Of Jenni entered for Caulfield
Reigning Australian Horse Of The Year Pride Of Jenni is a surprise Caulfield nomination as a forerunner to a potential lead-up run to a Queensland winter carnival cameo.
Pride Of Jenni is one of 25 entries for the Listed Anniversary Vase (1600m).
If she starts, Pride Of Jenni will carry a maximum 61kg under the quality handicap conditions of the race.
Trainer Ciaron Maher has singled out the Group 1 Doomben Cup on May 24 as Pride Of Jenni’s Queensland mission.
After a brilliant return to win the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes over 1800m at Caulfield last month, Pride Of Jenni ran one of the worst races of her career when down the course in the Australian Cup.
History awaits Derby sires
Former Coolmore Australia shuttlers Justify and American Pharoah are looking to become the first Kentucky Derby winners in 29 years to also sire a winner of the famous race.
Justify, the champion first-season stallion in Australia in 2022/23, is represented by American Promise in the race at Churchill Downs that will be run on Sunday morning (AEST).
American Pharoah, the sire of Victoria Derby winners Riff Rocket and Goldrush Guru, has Publisher and Luxor Café in the 20-horse field.
The last time the winner of the Kentucky Derby was sired by a Derby winner was in 1996 when Grindstone, a son of 1990 victor Unbridled, won.
There have been nine Kentucky Derby winners stand in Australia in the past 30 years, but none are on an Australian roster in 2025.
Kentucky Derby winners at stud in Australia since 1995
