Straight Up – Global warnings and Winx

It’s a slightly earlier Straight Up this week thanks to an Easter long weekend which will feature Group 1 racing in two Australian states and in New Zealand but also the end of thoroughbred racing in Macau.

In many ways, the racing industry in Australia has never been better off, but you only have to look at what is happening in places like Singapore, Greece, Mauritius and Macau to know that globally, racing is in a tricky spot.

Few people have travelled the racing globe like racing administrator/steward Fin Powrie and his perspective on the common thread across those jurisdictions in decline is very valuable.

In his first article for The Straight, Matt Stewart reflects on the state of international racing and chats to Powrie, now based in Korea, about his thoughts, and what Australia needs to be wary of.

“The fabric in Australia is pulling apart” – Lessons to be learned from racing’s global collapses

With racing jurisdictions shutting up shop around the world, including in Macau this weekend, globetrotting administrator and racing steward Fin Powrie tells Matt Stewart that there are cautionary tales for Australia’s racing future.

The StraightMatt Stewart

That story brings racecourse ownership into the spotlight and the ongoing issue around Goulburn, well covered by The Straight’s Warwick Barr over the past couple of weeks, remains a contentious one.

The member vote as to whether to hand ownership over to Racing NSW in exchange for $9.5 million worth of infrastructure funding takes place next Tuesday, with Goulburn MP Wendy Tuckerman putting forward her concerns over the deal.

Goulburn MP wants ‘all information on the table’ over racecourse future

The Goulburn District Racing Club has been urged to “slow the process down” in assessing the finer details of a proposed racecourse deal with Racing NSW.

The StraightWarwick Barr

We are closing in on the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale where the most anticipated yearling, arguably, in Australian history will be offered. The daughter of two-year-old Triple Crown winner Pierro and 25-time Group 1 winner Winx has drawn attention from all over the world.

But who will by buy her? We have whittled down the candidates to 10 possibles, with buyers from America, Japan, Ireland, China and Australia on the list.

Who buys Winx’s first foal at the Australian Easter Yearling Sale?

When the first filly out of 25-time Group 1 winner Winx goes through the ring on April 8, it won’t only be the daughter of Pierro’s price that will make headlines.

The StraightBren O’Brien

Another high-profile filly, NZ Derby winner Orchestral, makes her Australian debut in the Vinery Stud Stakes on Saturday, with high expectations she can continue her winning run for trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood.

We caught up with her owner Colin Litt to talk about reaping the rewards from rejecting an earlier bid to buy Orchestral.

Orchestral ready to put on a show for an Australian audience

New Zealand filly Orchestral will make her Australian debut in the Vinery Stud Stakes as one of the most spruiked horses to cross the Tasman for many years.

The StraightWarwick Barr

Finally in wagering, tough times continue for Australia’s biggest bookmakers with Flutter confirming its Australian powerhouse Sportsbet has seen its revenue drop 7 per cent through 2023, while its market share has also slid downwards.

Sportsbet growth lags behind Flutter’s global surge

A continued drop in wagering on racing led Sportsbet to a 7 per cent slump in revenue across 2023, parent company Flutter has revealed.

The StraightBren O’Brien

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Regards

Bren O’Brien

Founder and Managing Editor

The Straight