News

Straight Shorts is a rolling news update service on the biggest stories in racing, wagering and breeding.

Phoenix Thoroughbreds, the successful but controversial breeding and racing empire run by Amer Abdulaziz, is winding up its Australian thoroughbred interests, with another Bahraini-backed operation, Brookdale Racing, stepping in to take its place.

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.

Skybird has upset Australia's best young sprinters to win the Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington while Fangirl has relegated her Cox Plate-winning stablemate Via Sistina into the minor placings in the Apollo Stakes at Randwick.

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.

Angus Lamont is putting his faith in unbeaten two-year-old Shaggy continuing to be a poster boy for Kooringal Stud sire Sandbar.

Entain media executive Andy Hoad joins Racing Victoria, Anthony Cummings appeals Racing NSW's decision to revoke his training licence, while Australian-owned gambling operator Stake is leaving the UK market.