In today's Straight Shorts, Hong Kong champion Ka Ying Rising set for Everest slot, new general manager of Australian Turf Club racecourses, South Australia budgets for growth in wagering tax receipts and entries are open for Inglis' Ready2Race Sale.
Slot twist as Ka Ying Rising set to be confirmed for Everest
Ka Ying Rising is set to secure a slot in the $20 million Everest that will see the world’s highest-rated represent the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Already an odds-on favourite, Ka Ying Rising is expected to have a Hong Kong lead-up run before heading to Sydney to take on Australia’s best.
Although no official details have been announced, the HKJC has leased the slot held by the Australian Turf Club.
But Ka Ying Rising’s presence is likely to provide a windfall for the ATC with the Everest locked into the HKJC-backed World Pool schedule.
Host race clubs receive direct revenue from World Pool wagering and Ka Ying Rising is tipped to generate up to $1 million in receipts for the ATC.
Ka Ying Rising made it 12 straight wins with his victory in the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize at Sha Tin in April.
He returned to trainer David Hayes’ Hong Kong stable this week after a short spell.
Wood to oversee all of Sydney’s racecourses
Randwick curator Michael Wood has earned a promotion, taking on the role of the Australian Turf Club's general manager of ATC racecourses.
With 23 years of experience, including being with the ATC since 2013, Wood will work with the club's track managers at its Randwick, Rosehill, Canterbury and Warwick Farm racecourses.
Wood, who has overseen Randwick since 2019, will report to Nevesh Ramdhani, a former track manager, who is now the ATC's head of racing and wagering.
"Michael has a wealth of experience and knowledge around racing and track management and we are delighted to extend his role," Ramdhani said.
The appointment is effective immediately.
SA budgets for wagering growth
South Australia’s government is budgeting for a 2.75 per cent growth in its Betting Operations Tax proceeds in the 2025/26 financial year, despite broader national turnover trends indicating growth in wagering is unlikely.
In Thursday’s state budget delivered by treasurer Stephen Mullighan, the current and future projections for the Betting Operations Tax - the proceeds of SA’s 15 per cent Point Of Consumption regime - the government revealed it expected to make budget on its BOT projections this financial year.
It had predicted $61.4 million and is estimating it will still match that amount by the end of the current financial year.
However, it lifted its projections for 2025/26 to $63.1 million, and then upwards by $2 million each financial year after that point. That mirrors what was projected in last year’s budget, despite a continuing fall in wagering across the board.
BOT makes up less than nine per cent of the gambling taxes collected in South Australia.
The current four-year funding model sees 20 per cent of SA’s BOT revenue flow through to the thoroughbred, harness and greyhound industries.
Entries open for Inglis Ready2Race Sale
Inglis is calling for entries for its Ready2Race Sale for two-year-olds to be held in Sydney in the spring.
On the back of a $1 million breeze-up horse, a filly by Written Tycoon, selling at Riverside at last year's sale, Inglis is confident about the likely composition of this year's catalogue for the October 16 sale.
This year’s sale will be preceded by breeze-up sessions at Taupo in New Zealand (September 29), Warwick Farm (September 29) and Wangaratta (September 30).
“Over the past five years or so in particular, the quality of the stock and the nature of the participants has improved markedly as we look to compete with the two-year-old sale in New Zealand,” Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch said.
“This is reflected in the success of graduates such as Rubylot, who is one of the best young horses in Hong Kong, and high-class domestic money spinners like Libertad, Tavi Time, Democracy Manifest, Strait Acer and so many more.
“We have a huge domestic market into which stock can be traded and that has been a real area of strength for the Inglis two-year-old sale, more so than any other Australasian two-year-old sale.
“Further to that, the support of international buyers of our sales, particularly leading owners, trainers and agents associated with the Hong Kong market, has been incredible.
“Since the turn of the year, we have sold stock to buyers in 15 different countries around the world including the likes of Japan, China, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan and Mongolia and these extensive relationships are amongst those that we will be looking to leverage at the sale.”
Protectionist with Derby runner at Epsom
Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist will be represented in Saturday’s Derby at Epsom with the Charlie Johnston-trained Lazy Griff to take his place in the famous race.
Placed in the Chester Vase last time out, Lazy Griff is considered an outsider for the race, but will be flying the flag for his sire, who stood in his native Germany before his death in 2023.
Protectionist has produced five stakes winners, highlighted by multiple Group 2 winner Amazing Grace.
Shuttle stallions Wootton Bassett (Tennessee Stud), Too Darn Hot (Tornado Alert) and Circus Maximus (Green Storm) are also represented.
The market expects it to be a dual between Coolmore and Godolphin, with Aidan O’Brien’s Dubawi colt Delacroix favourite over Charlie Appleby’s Justify colt Ruling Court.
ACMA targets bookies over BetStop compliance issues
Four bookmakers have been found in breach of rules relating to the National Self-Exclusion Register (NSER) BetStop.
Buddybet, Ultrabet, VicBet and Topbet violated regulations associated with BetStop, according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
An ACMA investigation revealed Buddybet failed to close wagering accounts for people on the NSER and sent marketing to them. The company has since exited the Australian market.
A separate ACMA probe found Ultrabet reopened the account of someone at the end of their self-exclusion period and allowed that person to bet with that account.
Ultrabet also caused marketing to be sent to another self-excluded person.
Under the NSER rules, once an individual registers with the NSER, wagering service providers must close that person’s account as soon as practicable.
Accounts must not be reopened or reinstated once a person ceases to be registered with the NSER.
The ACMA has accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from Ultrabet, which commits the company to review its compliance systems and processes and implement improvements.
Following two other separate investigations, online bookmakers VicBet and Topbet have each been issued with a formal warning after the ACMA found they contravened the NSER marketing rules.
Loving lights up for Bivouac
Darley’s Bivouac has a fifth racetrack winner after the impressive victory of the well-bred Godolphin gelding Loving at Geelong on Thursday.
The James Cummings-trained two-year-old charged later under Ben Allen to break his maiden over 1200 metres at his second start.
Loving quickens up on the outside to chase down the leaders & register his maiden win in the opener at Geelong ❤️@godolphin @bennallen44 pic.twitter.com/eQx2PqgrKW
— Racing.com (@Racing) June 5, 2025
He is the fourth winner out of Street Cry mare Maternal, a stakes-winning daughter of Group 1 winner Divine Madonna from the same family as this year’s Todman Stakes winner Tentryis.
Bivouac has made a strong start to his breeding career with three stakes winners from his first crop, Sliver Slipper winner Beiwacht as well as Intention and Luana Miss.
