BIG KAHUNA CHARITY PUNTERS CLUB CONTINUES THIS SATURDAY
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Pegasus 9 reacted to Insider in This is a damn good read.
Monday
Five days is a long time to wait, but there was something particularly neat about OTI’s remarkable feat at Royal Ascot this year, when the Australian-based syndicator celebrated the first and last winners of the meeting.
Race one on Tuesday - the Queen Anne Stakes - was taken out for the blue and gold hoops by five-year-old entire Docklands, who two years earlier had become the group’s first Ascot winner in the Britannia Stakes.
And race 35 late on Saturday afternoon - the Queen Alexandra Stakes - went to the Willie Mullins-trained Sober, who’s now the latest Melbourne Cup aspirant for the OTI stable.
The rare bookends double, with their only two starters of the week, was in a way redolent of the methodical progress OTI continues to make. A quarter of a century since its birth out of director Terry Henderson’s old harness racing syndicator Pacers Australia, the group has never been stronger.
In the last 12 months, the syndicator’s winners have been led by two elite victors in two hemispheres, with Docklands’ Queen Anne preceded by the South Australian Derby success of Femminile in May.
Add in a handful of other Group wins, several elite placings, West Of Africa’s triumph in the lucrative Magic Millions Cup and an overall haul of 17 black-type successes, and the Australasian 2024-25 has been another campaign of emphatic validation for OTI, its business model, and the processes it has honed over the years.
“I don’t think we’ll get to the 100 winners [before the end of Australian season on July 31] unless something dramatic happens in these last few weeks,” Henderson said.
“But we’ve had a very good year on the stakes side of it. Two Group 1s, we’ve been second in about three more, and 17 black-type wins - it’s been good on the better races. We’ve also had a lot more city winners this year than the previous year.
“And to do what we did at Royal Ascot - it was an incredibly exciting time, a career thrill for most of us, especially winning the Queen Anne.
When you look at the perpetual trophy of that race and see names like Frankel, Toronado, Goldikova, et cetera, it was a pretty special feeling to win it.”
Henderson credits OTI’s strength to a policy that strives to eliminate some of the guesswork from this game of hope and chance.
That’s by leaning away from the blank canvas of yearlings towards buying proven horses - either those with racetrack form, ready to run prospects they can see gallop in breeze-up sales, or yearlings and two-year-olds showing trackwork prowess before racing.
Henderson cites the example of Femminile. Trainer Phillip Stokes and Rick Connolly Bloodstock bought half of the filly - the breeders stayed in for the other half - for A$75,000 at Inglis Easter 2023.
Henderson said: “Phil had had the filly for a little while. He told the other owners he’d find an owner for it.
“He told me, ‘I think you should have a look at this filly’. I had a look and I quite liked her. She wasn’t overly big but she was very athletic and she could move well, so we came in then. It was typical of one of those situations where the trainers say, ‘Would you like to join us? We think she goes alright.’
“Our policy is not so much to buy at yearling sales but to look at horses who’ve got to the first prep or second prep stage, and the trainer is still owning the horse. We get a lot of invitations to look at horses at that stage. We’ve probably bought five or six that way in the last 12 months.
“It’s been a hard year for trainers to place [sell down] their horses. Given our policy of waiting until the horses are broken in and we can see them going, a lot of trainers have been in the situation where they’ve held their stock, been happy with their stock, and then want to sell down. That’s when they approach us. We go and have a look at them gallop, and decide what we think.”
He added: “For our business and our clients, or anyone, buying horses is a high risk strategy. We’re very much on the proven horse side, and always have been.
“For that reason, we quite like the breeze-up sales. We’ve bought four horses that way - two in Ireland and two at Arqana - in the last ten days.
“We’re usually fairly active in New Zealand on that front too, and we were active this year in Australia as well on ready to run sales [breeze-up]. They tend to be our source.”
New Zealand has been a fertile field for OTI, including buying into horses off initial barrier trials - as was the case with I’m Thunderstruck - or after one or two races, like when 1995 Melbourne Cup hero Doriemus was purchased way back before Pacers Australia morphed into OTI in 1999.
Aside from sticking to method, another kind of stability has helped.
“Historically, that has been the way we’ve sourced our horses in New Zealand - out of trials or maybe one race,” Henderson said. “It’s been a strength of our business right back to Doriemus 30 years ago.
“And we’ve had the same agent in New Zealand for 20 years, in Phil Cataldo. We’ve got a very close relationship with Phil and that’s been a real strength to our business.”
Mind you, there has been some change at OTI this season, managerially, with the sale of 25 per cent of the business each to Gus Boyd, who runs its Sydney office, and Shayne Driscol, a key executive in the Melbourne home base.
And adhering to time-honoured principles does not mean OTI is sitting still and not keeping aware of shifting market conditions, especially in Europe where they buy a large proportion of stock.
“It’s been a different season from a marketing point of view,” Henderson said. “The gloss of Covid, which was so good for the industry, has now passed, and with the economic situation and the devaluation of the Australian dollar against the Euro and the pound, the cost of international racehorses has certainly gone up.
“You need to be more prudent if you’re going to be spending an extra 15 per cent before you even start.
“But we’ve been just as active in that market and will continue to be. Subject to vets, we’ve bought two going horses this week.”
One of those is three-year-old Boniface, bought by OTI and partners for €250,000 at last week’s Arqana Summer Sale. A winner of three from five including over a mile at St Cloud last week, the colt will soon be transferred to Melbourne’s Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr’s stable, with a faint hope of a spring appearance but autumn targets more likely.
Another branch of OTI’s operations which has enjoyed a robust season is broodmare sales.
Six-year-old Under Your Spell, bought privately after a Group 1-winning career in South Africa, was sold to Yulong’s Growing Empire Syndicate at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale for A$1.2 million (£576,662 / €668,206).
Five-year-old Lady Laguna- bought out of a paddock for a song by Henderson before earning A$2.6 million (£1,249,434 / €1,447,780) as a Group 1 winner - sold to James Harron for A$2.5 million (£1,201,379 / €1,392,096) at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare sale.
And in a delicious piece of happenstance, the aforementioned Femminile went to the same sale unexpectedly as a Group 1 victor, having claimed the South Australian Derby three weeks earlier as a 18-1 chance.
“She surprised us,” Henderson said. “We’d already entered her for the broodmare sale before the South Australian Derby. In hindsight, we probably wouldn’t have had her in the sale had we known she was going to win it. But we left her in the sale thinking we’d get overs for our clients.
“To get $1.5 million (£720,827 / €835,258) was great for our owners, because frankly when we put her in the sale we thought she’d be worth about $250,000 (£120,137 / €139,209.”
“It was a big thing for us to sell three high-value mares this season. It’s very important we have a business model that gives owners a chance to get a good return with these mares if they perform.
“Yulong have been fantastic for the market in Australia, and that’s good, but the market generally for those top-end mares is very strong globally. There’s still new owners coming into the business. The market through the Middle East is very strong, and that will stimulate other buyers to come into the market.”
OTI is looking to the spring enthusiastically thanks to stayers including Deakin, who was imported from Ireland after winning two of nine starts to win three of his first five in Australia last autumn, two in Listed class.
There’s also Warmonger, bought out of the New Zealand Ready To Run Sale [breeze-up] before claiming last year’s Queensland Derby, and Kiwi-trained stayer Mark Twain, who’s on the comeback trail from a tendon injury after taking Flemington’s Roy Higgins Quality in his Australian debut in March last year.
OTI’s Royal Ascot double came thanks to purchases from two corners of their business model.
Slightly against the syndicator’s MO, Docklands was a yearling acquisition, recommended by UK-based Australian bloodstock boffin Stuart Boman as a half-brother to OTI’s Australian Listed-winning French import Harbour Views.
Costing only £16,000, he’s now won around £863,000, with more mile targets ahead in coming months which potentially include Goodwood’s Sussex Stakes, Deauville’s Prix Jacques Le Marois and, back at Ascot, Champions Day’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
Sober perhaps better fits OTI’s traditional buying model, purchased in tandem with Mullins as a tried horse last year at Arqana’s The Arc Sale, for €115,000. The gelding rekindles the OTI-Mullins combination which enjoyed success with staying mare True Self, who won 11 races including the 2019 and 2020 editions of Flemington’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
“Doing such a double at Royal Ascot is the highlight of OTIs existence, no doubt,” Henderson said.
“We had quite a number of owners involved in these horses. That’s our job, to get as many of our owners as possible enjoying the fruits of these wins.
“And because Docklands was a modestly-priced horse, a couple of the owners were first-time owners, alongside some of our old friends. So there was a great sense of satisfaction on behalf of our owners to have these two horses.”
While the glow remains bright from a magical week at Ascot, Henderson said he won’t dwell on it for too long.
“We’ve been blessed with having some very good years in the past few years, and with winning a couple of Group 1s,” he said.
“But you know, it’s the next one you’re more excited about than the last one.”
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Pegasus 9 reacted to TurnyTom in She’s an Artist…..a horse to follow..
SB, yesterday was HQs Winter final day and mostly a GF day for those headed to the paddock for return in Spring. The $ on offer are very attractive for the lesser horses hence why she started I guess
I thought she would comfortably put the field away but for the last 30 metres she seemed to flounder somewhat and Jamie put no further pressure on her but don’t think she was going to catch the winner anyway as she seemed to have bottomed out late
I think she will return and view her sweet spot as 1100/1200m preferably on the straight 1200 with a wide draw and good ground.
My friends in MLB tell me she is very very highly rated but that is in the future I guess, time will tell
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Pegasus 9 reacted to scooby3051 in Big Kahuna Charity Punters Comp - Week 3 entry thread
SPCA New Zealand
Thank you
Your $102.50 gift will make a world of difference to animals in need!
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Pegasus 9 reacted to scooby3051 in Big Kahuna Charity Punters Comp - Week 3 entry thread
This weeks winnings will be going to Petes charity.... SPCA
https://www.spca.nz/donate/donate-now-b?donate-step=amount
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Pegasus 9 reacted to Maximus in Big Kahuna Charity Punters Comp - Week 3 entry thread
56 entries, 2 'double-ups' (posted in order of being received)
Big Kahunas W3 MEETING RACE # HORSE TIPSTER RESULT DIVIDEND TOTAL Te Rapa 2 The Bambino Houlahan's Dream Te Rapa 5 Willit Pak Star Te Rapa 5 Lotus Blue Duck Te Rapa 6 Elle McFab rdytdy Te Rapa 6 Ridgeview Vicky nomates Te Rapa 6 Jethro Tull Ponderosa8 Te Rapa 6 Exit Left Koriokaramea Te Rapa 6 Prudentia mr gee Te Rapa 6 Te Atatu Dream shad Te Rapa 7 Drop of Something Foxmerts Te Rapa 7 Blackwood Star Winner 69 Te Rapa 7 Solidify Double R Te Rapa 7 Diamond Jak barryb Te Rapa 8 Waihaha Falls Catalano Te Rapa 9 Irrigate Pete Lane Te Rapa 9 Arjay's Flight Littletramp Te Rapa 9 Arjay's Flight Stoyd Te Rapa 9 Endean Ace Pottsie Te Rapa 9 Raajoices Stranger Flemington 1 Cloisters Goodison Flemington 1 Angel Ladder Freddy002 Flemington 2 Valda Warrior Manfield Flemington 4 Nobelus Pheroz Flemington 4 Darkbonee saynomore Flemington 4 Santa Ana Moon Chestnut Flemington 5 Bold Soul gubellini Flemington 6 Detonator Jack scooby3051 Flemington 6 Bridal Waltz Blaird Flemington 7 Ant ChittyChittyBB Flemington 7 Politely Dun Peter R S Flemington 7 Politely Dun Kilcoyne Flemington 7 Shockletz Al Feilding Flemington 8 Oh Too Good Insider Flemington 8 Red Galaxy richie Flemington 8 Café Millennium Floyd Pink Rosehill 1 Barking Mad Idolmite Rosehill 3 Plenitude Montydrum Rosehill 3 Martini Mumma Sayer Rosehill 3 Lordster Dogzstar1 Rosehill 4 Smashing Time Seddon Rosehill 4 Show Em How Ohokaman Rosehill 4 Amusing Basilbrush Rosehill 5 Tarpaulin MAJESTIC Rosehill 6 Let's Go Again RacingJackReacher Rosehill 8 Cigar Flick Kloppite Rosehill 9 Contemporary Alf Riston Rosehill 9 Saltcoats Toddy Rosehill 10 Cruel Summer Maximus Sunshine Coast 3 Unfaithful jack Sunshine Coast 4 Belegato Baz (NZ) Sunshine Coast 7 Warnie Seakem Sunshine Coast 7 Sunset Dreaming Lucasduke Sunshine Coast 7 The Inflictor We're Doomed Sunshine Coast 7 Oughton Pegasus 9 Sunshine Coast 8 Hezashocka jayar Sunshine Coast 8 Bear On The Loose Black Kirrama
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Pegasus 9 reacted to nomates in Big Kahuna Charity Punters Comp - Week 3 entry thread
Great work Max , very helpful .
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Pegasus 9 reacted to sunlineboy in She’s an Artist…..a horse to follow..
This is why you take winter form with a grain of salt
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Pegasus 9 reacted to nomates in She’s an Artist…..a horse to follow..
I thought she was left a bit exposed for much of that race , hard work for a young inexperienced filly , tried her heart out tho .
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Pegasus 9 reacted to Ohokaman in She’s an Artist…..a horse to follow..
Wouldn’t be writing her off that quickly Sunshine.
Melham thought the two weeks was too short for her and the softer ground wouldn’t have helped either.
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Pegasus 9 reacted to Blaird in Big Kahuna Charity Punters Comp - Week 3 entry thread
Winner $14.20 and $2.10 = $163.00 - She's An Artist couldn't DRAW clear today
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Pegasus 9 reacted to Dogzstar1 in Big Kahuna Charity Punters Comp - Week 3 entry thread
Yay Finally a winner after two outs LORDSTER @$16s/$3.40 return $ 194.00.Thanks guys!!
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Pegasus 9 reacted to scooby3051 in The Decline of Horse racing as a Cultural Institution
Yesterday I was talking to a friend by chance as her dad had passed away, who was until recently involved in management of one of the bigger clubs in Australia in Melbourne.
She always wondered why Trentham and Riccarton for the big days never reached out and promoted tours or flights bringing people from Melbourne or anywhere in Australia on the East Coast to these carnivals as it’s a very short flight and an easy commute.
She also said last year she came out with her husband who was a kiwi and they arranged for 10 people to go to the Wellington cup carnival on Wellington cup day.Paid big money for tickets and packages, and thought they were gonna have a fantastic day. Their experience was horrendous poor food not allowed to go anywhere poor facilities. She then reached out to the club not a word. Nobody responded. She doesn’t give up easily so she kept contacting them. Kept calling them. In fact she called them for three weeks and finally on race day somebody answered. They then told her oh no we can’t do anything. You have to reach out to this email address they will get back in touch. Seven months later six emails not a single word from anybody and they wonder why it’s going downhill.
Lack of ideas lack of thinking outside the box. Lack of passion was what she said. She is now working in tourism and she thought what a great way to expand things before her experience.
No thinking outside the square, no marketing to new people, she said they have an under 30's club with specific areas at the club she used to manage and even on a normal Raceday this area sells out and more and more new people come to be involved, some just looking for a place to go and hang out and get dressed up.
Shame we dont have this sort of foresight here, she could not get over the difference in a Raceday experience in Oz to what she got served up here.
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Pegasus 9 reacted to Rob75 in The Decline of Horse racing as a Cultural Institution
I am new to these forums and while not a huge racing fan find the promotional and social side of horse
racing interesting as there are many similarities to speedway, a sport which I have a great interest in.
Horse racing [both gall ops and harness] was once a major pastime enjoyed by all walks of life and social
backgrounds. For many casual punters the gambling was only secondary to relaxing and catching up
with friends and family along with people watching.
Media coverage was extensive with comprehensive newspaper coverage, several specialist publications and racing
being the cornerstone of Saturday afternoon programming on TV1 much to the chagrin of 80's kids!
What then has caused racing's fall from its preeminence?
Superficially the introduction of Lotto and Instant Kiwi, weekend shopping, an urban population with little connection to country living
and more competition for the leisure dollar have been major factors. While they have certainly played a role in racing's decline, does some
of the blame lie with the industry itself?
When did the rot set it in and what were the major steps along the way?
Was the loss of coverage on Sport On One on Saturdays [along with broadcasts on Radio NZ commercial stations] play a role?
How much have track closures/mergers in rural areas hastened the decline?
Yours thoughts please.
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Pegasus 9 reacted to Blaird in Opie Coming Back
I hope you are referring to your horse? 🤣
Great to hear he will be back. Wish him all the best.
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Pegasus 9 reacted to scooby3051 in Is This The End For Darren Weir
100% agree all good to be all apologetic now...but what about when he was inflicting pain and terror on the poor defenseless animals...no for me people who treat horses like this do not deserve to earn a living from them...I can not stand anyone who treats these beautiful animals cruelly ...they do not deserve that.
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Pegasus 9 reacted to nomates in Is This The End For Darren Weir
Perhaps for Weir to get his license back he needs to prove that he understands the pain he was inflicting on the animals .
Hence I suggest , that he wears an electrode for a day , maybe more , and people can press a button at selected sites which gives him an electric shock .
A person can only have one press of course .
Cruelty ?
Thoughts .
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Pegasus 9 reacted to nomates in Very Sad For All Involved.
A sad reminder of just how dangerous it can be around horses , had a couple of close calls myself , and but for the grace of God .
Thoughts are with all associated with her .
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Pegasus 9 reacted to scooby3051 in Very Sad For All Involved.
‘Heartbroken' trainers lead tributes for beloved team member
The late Peta Tait was a popular and much-loved member of the Victorian racing industry. Picture: Racing Photos By Gilbert Gardiner
12:15pm • 02 July 2025 Peta Tait has been remembered as a "much-loved" and "popular" member of the Victorian racing industry, particularly in Cranbourne.
Heartbroken Busuttin Racing has led tributes for the late Tait, who died Tuesday following a tragic accident at the Cranbourne stable.
"At this time our thoughts are with those nearest and dearest to Peta, her immediate family and many friends," co-trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young said in a statement.
"Peta was an incredible person who was dedicated to her role and will leave a longstanding legacy. We are heartbroken by her loss."
Tait sustained a fatal injury by a horse while working at the stable on Tuesday.
The 43-year-old was attended to by the on-site paramedic but tragically could not be saved.
Victoria Police and WorkSafe continue to investigate the circumstances of the accident.
Jockey Daniel Moor said Tait was a dedicated worker who would be greatly missed.
"It's difficult to find the words to describe a one in a million person, but that's exactly who Peta was," Moor posted on X.
"So dedicated to her job and always so helpful. Constantly putting others before herself. She will be very sadly missed."
Tait, a former picnic jockey, has spent the best part of three decades in the racing industry as a track rider and assistant to a number of trainers in Cranbourne and throughout Gippsland.
Tait rode 48 winners on the picnic circuit including the 2013 Hinnomunjie Cup.
She capped an amateur race riding career with victory in the annual picnic feature, the Cranbourne Corinthian (1200m), aboard Unruly Student at her final race ride on October 11, 2019.
Tait has been a registered stable employee since 2006.
Racing Victoria chief executive Aaron Morrison extended the industry's heartfelt condolences.
"This terrible accident serves as an untimely reminder of the thousands of unsung heroes working in stables each day to provide the best possible care to our racehorses," Morrison said.
"Like all within our industry, Peta loved horses and she forged a career working with them, helping numerous trainers prepare their horses as a trackwork rider or strapping them on race day.
"Peta made a valuable contribution to Victorian racing over more than 25 years and her sudden passing will be felt by many, particularly in Cranbourne where she was based."
Southside Racing chief executive Neil Bainbridge echoed the sentiment.
"We are providing support to Peta's employer, their staff and our staff who have been greatly affected by this terrible accident that occurred in the stables," Bainbridge said.
"Peta was a well-known and liked member of our community and her absence will be felt by lots of people."
The Victorian Jockeys Association joined in tributes and condolences.
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Pegasus 9 reacted to BUCKY in Is This The End For Darren Weir
Interesting that you say' he is a cheat '. What he did was cruelty to horses, thats why he was prosecuted. I know I go on about it but jockeys whipping horses is cruelty. They are 'allowed ' to hit horses with the whip, but the number of strikes and severity of strikes is limited. If you look at the RIB website it seems every second report of hearings involves the whip, gallops and harness racing. Quite often the same names are involved, and definitely not only apprentices or junior drivers.
It takes massive hypocrisy on the part of the stipendiary stewards from both codes to prosecute jockeys and drivers for using the whip incorrectly and still do nothing to be proactive and actually limit this to a large extent-by pushing their respective ' masters ' to alter the protest rules to allow disqualification of horses from stakes bearing placings if it is shown the whip guides were breached.
This is heading to be what took place in greyhound racing. All sorts of enquiries, warnings, and when they were finally banned..squeals of protests.
Whipping horses to excess is more prevalent in TB racing. Some very successful trainers-and former jockeys-agree that the whip should only be carried for control purposes...the 'belters 'of yesteryear are finished and change WILL occur sooner than later.
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Pegasus 9 reacted to nomates in NZ Bans Offshore Betting
Your 3rd and 4th paragraph say it all , lazy and unmotivated , lacking the knowledge or skill to improve the business . all done to take the easy path to lump sums that ensure their large salaries for the next few years .
But this will all come back into NZRBs lap once the 5year deal finishes and they have to start managing a smaller pool of cash and both existing codes have smaller amounts of funding to work with .
But Entain will be creaming it .
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Pegasus 9 reacted to Alf Riston in NZ Bans Offshore Betting
Awesome post Raz - I've just been catching up on the thread and this comment mirrors my thinking.
Last year I sat through 2 'anti-competitive behaviour' seminars conducted by the large company I was contracting to, such was their fear of being prosecuted for innappropriate actions of anyone connected to them.
So this has bewildered me right from the get go and I've expressed my displeasure several times. It smacks of corruption, and the enticement of $100 million dollars subject to the legislation being passed is not seen as a bribe??
This, like the sale of TAB to Entain, is just a lazy cop out from those in charge, far too inept to improve the product enough, and be the optional choice for punters, rather than having them corralled into the monopolistic serving they will get.
I took a couple of months off betting, disullusioned with racing in general and this doesn't help my mood about the state of NZ racing.....
For the record, I have NEVER bet offshore, have a budget of $50 to $100 per week as a rule, but can turnover well in excess of that through winning and reinvesting, purely for entertainment, so I'm not directly affected by the ban, just more and more pissed off at the way the Circus is being run.
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Pegasus 9 reacted to Raz in NZ Bans Offshore Betting
It's not just about racing, the sports betting product that entain provides is amongst the worst you'll see & I would argue in many cases criminal - I'll paste some examples of it below.
And to those banging on about this being a good thing (morons), tell me how selling out to a multinational gambling company based in the UK is a good thing for NZ? The money being taken off-shore by them will more than match that of the NZ punters betting overseas. The NZ govt just sold out to a British giant and is trying to convince us that is a good thing for NZ?
I dont know if people are thinking straight here but forcing people to use your product instead of improving your product and being competitive in the marketplace is NOT what we want as a country in ANY industry, why would u guys accept that?
If you're a fan of NZ TAB that is fine, and you can continue to use them, but to pretend like this is a good move is pathetic.
In sports, they'll very often suspend betting on one side but allow it on the other side.
They have games offering $1.02 bet pairings (instead of $1.90 pairs as it shiuld be), they offer a $1.02 fave with a $3.70 underdog?? (That pairing should be at $13-$15, not @ $3.70)
In soccer, late in games, they'll offer "under" betting but not "over" (example- @ 1-0, you can bet under 1.5 goals, but not over 1.5 goals) I have seen this occur at least 10-15 times now, I imagine it's a regular thing. You simply cannot offer one side of a bet and not the other, just because the liability will be higher on your end if said event does happen.
The bet delay (how long it takes to place a bet) on the gold cup soccer (international) was 14 seconds when I checked the other day - you can't even get a bet on options like that as the odds move before the bet can even be placed.
Monopolies of any kind are bad, British-owned Monopolies owning our country is even worse!
Nothing makes me more angry than governments or entities forcing people to do something, controlling our actions as if we can't control them ourselves.
Also, how can they ban NZ hounds, but allow betting on aussie greyhounds? Hypocritical much? Reminds me of the climate change mob who act like emissions are down in western countries while China polluted everything instead (on our behalf)
People will get big mad at my rambling here, instead of being mad at their own government 😒
And dammit, I can't seem to paste these images from my phone here, but I have countless examples saved that I'm going to make as many people aware of as possible
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Pegasus 9 reacted to scooby3051 in Winx Colt For Easter Sale.
Winx's Snitzel colt to be sold by Inglis
The Snitzel and Winx weanling with Inglis CEO Sebastian Hutch. Picture: Supplied By Ray Thomas
07:01pm • 29 June 2025 Could this be the most valuable thoroughbred yearling offered for sale anywhere in the world next year?
This little colt with the white blaze just happens to be the second foal born from the all-time great racemare, Winx.
His father was Snitzel, the four-time Champion Australian Sire, who sadly passed away earlier this month which only makes this colt even more valuable when he enters the sale ring at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale next year.
Winx's first foal was sold at the Inglis Easter Sale last year for $10 million – a world record for a yearling filly.
It is estimated Winx's colt by Snitzel will at least challenge the Australian record sale price for a yearling colt of $5 million.
Debbie Kepitis, a part-owner of Winx, became so emotionally attached to the mare's first foal she bid $10 million to buy her back.
But Mrs Kepitis said she is trying to be more pragmatic about Winx's colt.
"You can only do one of those horses (Winx's filly) in your lifetime,'' Mrs Kepitiis said.
"It was hard to part with the filly but I have to be realistic with the second foal.
"He's gorgeous, he's cheeky, and he has thrown a lot to Snitzel which is exciting given he was such a good producer.''
Mrs Kepitis said Winx's ownership group which includes Peter and Patty Tighe, and Elizabeth and Rick Treweeke agreed to offer the Snitzel colt for sale.
"It's not easy to part with these amazing animals but we can't keep everything,'' she said. "We appreciate this colt and hopefully he can go on and shine for our beautiful mare.''
Peter Tighe, who has travelled to the United States where the acclaimed movie-documentary, "A Horse Called Winx" will feature at the Prescott Film Festival in Arizona next month, said he has not ruled out buying back into the mare's colt when he is offered for sale at Easter.
The Winx colt by Snitzel. Picture: Supplied.
"I would be interested to buy into the colt, depending on the circumstances,'' Tighe said.
"We get regular updates about the colt's progress and he's a nice type, he seems to be doing really well.''
Tighe would not be drawn on how much the colt could fetch at the Easter Yearling Sale but conceded the thrill of watching Winx's first foal (by Pierro) being sold at the Riverside complete last year was "indescribable".
"It absolutely blew our minds, the team at Inglis did an incredible job and we think the Snitzel colt will get the attention of investors from right around the world in 2026,'' Mr Tighe said.
Inglis Bloodstock chief executive Sebastian Hutch said it was humbling to be given the chance to offer Winx's latest foal for sale at Riverside Stables in Sydney next autumn.
The Winx colt by Snitzel. Picture: Supplied.
"To have the first male offspring of the mighty Winx coming to the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale is an absolute thrill and something we're hugely grateful to the ownership group for,'' Hutch said.
"I have been lucky enough to see this colt a number of times through his development. He has always looked like a good horse and I think he is going to present as a very good yearling at the sale.
"He's a handsome colt with great movement and an unflappable temperament. He's a special sort of horse. His presence at next year's Inglis Easter Yearling Sale is going to make for a captivating spectacle.''
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Pegasus 9 reacted to scooby3051 in Big Kahuna Charity Punters Comp - Week 2 entry thread
Our first donation for Saynomores Chosen charity... Compassion Soup Kitchen thanks to Foxmerts...lets hope its the first of many we donate to good causes.
https://soupkitchen.org.nz/donate/