Chief Stipe

NZTR Acknowledges Leadership of Dean Shannon Following Resignation from Entain New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) acknowledges the resignation of Dean Shannon, Chief Executive Officer of major wagering operator Entain Australia and New Zealand. The governing body would like to recognise the significant contribution Shannon has made to New Zealand racing during his tenure. Since the approval of the Entain TAB NZ strategic partnering arrangement in May 2023, Shannon has overseen a period of significant revitalisation and growth within the New Zealand industry, helping to modernise the sport and strengthen its long-term future. NZTR Chief Executive Officer Matt Ballesty commented on the announcement. “The progress New Zealand racing has made over the past two years would not have been possible without Dean.” “NZTR is especially grateful for the time he dedicated to engaging directly with our racing Clubs and administrators, offering guidance and support to help us deliver a stronger Thoroughbred product. “Dean’s commitment to the industry is reflected in the delivery of new strategies across the racing codes, as well as the introduction of fresh initiatives to support our participants. He has also driven efforts to broaden fan engagement and participation in our sport. “While it’s a shame to see him depart, we extend our sincere thanks for his leadership and wish him all the very best for the future,” Ballesty said. NZTR is looking forward to continuing its strong working relationship with Entain Australia and New Zealand, Interim CEO Andrew Vouris and his leadership team, as well as building on the positive momentum to date. Corporate Communications New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Contact: Emma Thompson +64 21 071 2929 nztrcommunications@nztr.co.nz

FFS look up the other OZ cases which I've posted detail on BOAY. WESTPAC was done for individuals turning over heaps more than that. One Casino was done with a punter doing a Billion dollars. In fact his turnover was more than the NZ TAB. Entain's issues are small change by comparison.

Come on @Special Agent and @Freda what were you expecting from the report?

Why is it "not good" @SLB2.0 ?

YES big BS. Fundamentally I think that is the biggest problem with the track developments in the last 10 years or so. The horse should be first and I'm not sure many of those in decision making positions actually know what the horse wants. I'm not talking about dishing up a Soft 5 every day but providing a safe track which can be a Good 2. I had a share in a horse that won the Taranaki Cup on a Fast 1 - first in NZ I believe. In 52 starts there weren't any injuries from hard and fast tracks.

So using a whip in training is OK but not in a race? Isn't there some incongruity there? Training a horse to run WITH a whip but then not whip them when the money is up?

Maybe the rules are daft and impossible to adhere to. Some find it hard enough to count to 10 when watching their horse let alone being the Jockey.

Not sure what you mean. Can you elaborate?

Shannon steps down as Entain Australia boss www.racenet.com.au Entain Australia boss Dean Shannon has announced he is stepping down from his role at the helm of the business from June 30. Shannon, a pioneer and highly respected figure in wagering circles, said the decision to depart was to allow Entain Australia and New Zealand the chance to enter a new phase, declaring "it was the right time for change". During Shannon's tenure as the boss of Entain Australia, returns to industry from the organisation have flourished, securing partnerships north of $50 million, with wagering brands Ladbrokes and Neds at the forefront of some of the three racing code's major events and initiatives. Clinton Payne - Last 28 Days • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! In announcing the departure, Stella David, Group CEO of Entain, thanked Shannon for his service. "We thank Dean for his significant contribution to Entain, and for managing the Australian and New Zealand businesses," David said. "The growth and integration of Neds and Ladbrokes into our global portfolio of podium position brands has been a particular highlight and he has more recently delivered what we believe is a market leading compliance program in Australia. "As the Australian business enters its next phase, we will continue to demonstrate our commitment to compliance and responsibly deliver great products to our customers." With Shannon set to depart at the end of the month, respected wagering figure Andrew Vouris has been appointed Interim CEO. Vouris brings a wealth of knowledge into the role, boasting more than 17 years of leadership experience in wagering, operations and innovation at some of Australia's biggest wagering operators, including Tabcorp and Entain. Interim Entain Australia boss Andrew Vouris. READ: ‘He runs times that other horses can't': Lee brothers' next big hope In his time at Tabcorp, Vouris played a key role in managing complex regulatory and compliance matters, including the response to Tabcorp's AUSTRAC proceedings in 2017. Shannon's departure comes as Entain Australia reaches the pointy end of its own legal fight with AUSTRAC, taken to Federal Court over alleged breaches of "serious non-compliance with Australia's money laundering laws." The exit of Shannon from the business draws the curtain on a 13-year association with the Ladbrokes brand. Back in 2012, Shannon launched startup corporate bookmaker Bookmaker.com.au before selling it a year later to Ladbrokes which served as the international brand's entry point into the robust Australian market. Five years later, Shannon then founded Neds.com.au which found a niche market in sports and racing betting, before it was also sold to the owners of Ladbrokes, consolidating its place in the Australian market. Part of the Neds transaction in 2017 saw Shannon take the reins as boss of the Australian business for Entain where it has enjoyed significant market growth during that time. Entain Australia has commenced the search for a permanent CEO.

Yes but the term "battler" is derogatory in my opinion and often self-deprecating but not in a humourous sense. From what I've seen most trainers struggle until the champion comes along and then many would argue anyone can train the good ones!

Defintely not in a 5 year old gelding. That stone was cast when it was a 2 year old.

Bellatrix Star pre-trained and spelled in NZ. Trained by Mark Walker.

There's been a couple more than that. Bellatrix Star has performed well over there at Group level - won the Champagne Stakes G3, Schillaci Stake G2 and an unlucky second to Switzerland in the Coolmore G1.

I hope Velocious goes well too for a number of reasons. But it is a 20 horse field, she has drawn 8 and I've seen her fall apart if she gets boxed in and/or doesn't get her own way. Lately they have been dropping her out and have a late run at them.

What do you think is the main motivation is for the New Committee working between TABNZ and ENTAIN? The elite Thoroughbred stakeholders are not stupid and they are outvoting Harness on that new committee.

In-form filly on black-type trail in Brisbane loveracing.nz Velocious will bid to add Australian black type to her impressive domestic record when she steps out at Eagle Farm on Saturday. The Stephen Marsh-trained daughter of Written Tycoon will run in the Listed Queensland Day Stakes (1200m) with multiple Group One-winning jockey Ethan Brown to don the Go Racing silks aboard the three-year-old. She won’t be the only feature race contender on the card for the syndication company, with the John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-prepared Maison Louis to take aim at the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m). Velocious earned her passage across the Tasman with her most recent success over 1100m. “We’ve always had Australia in the back of our minds for her and she had a couple of unlucky runs before her last start at Te Rapa,” Go Racing General Manager Matt Allnutt said. “That was the race that was going to decide whether she went over or not. “She duly went out and won that and there’s not much left for her in New Zealand, especially with the way the tracks are, so we’re trying our luck in Queensland.” Saturday’s performance will determine the length of Velocious’ stay in Australia. “If she came out and won, there are other races for her coming up and we would like to think she’s going to run very well,” Allnutt said. “Then we can push on and reassess targets, basically it’s an open-ended ticket at this stage.” Velocious has six victories from her 12 starts, including the Gr.1 Systema Stakes (1200m) and Listed Karaka Millions (1200m) to earn champion juvenile honours before underwent a wind operation earlier this season. She has returned to win twice, both noteworthy efforts against older open grade opposition, and in between times had little luck when out of the frame in the Gr.3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) and in an age group event at Ellerslie. “Thankfully, Michael McNab got her out of the gates well last start and got the job done for us,” Allnutt said. Bred by Inglewood Stud, Velocious was a $190,000 Karaka purchase for Go Racing who also purchased her younger half-sister by Dundeel for $300,000. Also trained by Marsh, Alacritous suffered an interrupted passage when unplaced on debut before she beat Cream Tart, a runaway winner on Monday, at Matamata. “She went away for a spell after that and is a different type being by Dundeel,” Allnutt said. “We’ve taken our time with her and she’ll come back into work shortly and be prepared for the 1000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m), all going well.” Meanwhile, Go Racing’s Maison Louis has won three of his six starts and finished fourth in the Gr.3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben in his final Derby lead-up. Ben Melham has been booked to ride the son of Super Seth on Saturday.

Dwyer's Asfoora UK surprise www.racing.com Henry Dwyer admits that he's been pleasantly surprised by the way his mare Asfoora has handled the arduous journey from Ballarat to Newmarket in England as she bids to defend her title in the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot in a fortnight. "She has settled in better than we could have hoped, to be honest," Dwyer said. "She just walked in the gate, she knew where she was. "She's very much at home there in her little yard. It was weird, the trip didn't really seem to take anything out of her; obviously, a trip to Sydney on the road and then 32 hours on the plane and three stops, the rest of it, but she was really bright the next day and ate up. "She's just obviously a very good traveller now." Dwyer explained that the original intention was to have Asfoora fit upon her departure from Australia to the United Kingdom to allow her a week of recovery from her travels, but the speedy mare was out and about at Newmarket on Tuesday morning. "She had a saddle on this morning," Dwyer said. "I get there on Thursday morning, so I might do a bit of work with her on Friday morning." Asfoora is likely to face a similar field to what she defeated at Royal Ascot in 2024, in a year where she's the only horse making the trip from Australia to England and where there isn't an emerging young, local sprinter. "The pool of horses seems relatively similar to last year," Dwyer said. "The market's got us, Believing and Regional all right up there and they're the same three horses that ran three of the top-four placings last year. You'd think if she turns up in the same order as last year, she's going to be incredibly hard to beat. "I'm not saying she will, but she seems to have travelled well and everything seems in order, so I don't really know why she wouldn't." Sportsbet has Asfoora on the second line of betting at $7.50 for the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 17.

Which further undermines the reports credibility. It flip flops between a literature review of mixed veracity science to quoting anecdotal data. No doubt Massey University have secured funding for "ongoing research" to quantify some missing data. Hopefully for the new season we will see the uniform implementation of a track rating measurement system calibrated by track and Quality Control managed. A must will be a measure of variability across and between tracks.

What's a course being straight or having a bend in it got to do with the hypotheses that increased speed = increased injury and three runs on a surface adapts a horse to run injury free. Arguably running on a consistently maintained AWT would be safer than running on a misreported hard Trentham shute. I don't understand why people don't see the contradiction or irony of the focus on the AWT and the blind eye elsewhere. Meanwhile the NZTA is more worried about moving rails. I'm surprised they haven't made preferred policy statements on irrigation as well.

Where did you copy the quote from regarding anecdotal data?

What times are they running on the AWT compared to the shutes at Trentham and Riccarton?

What the F?! We are basing policies on "anecdotal data"?! BTW "anecdotal data" is an oxymoron. Have we got social scientists running the cutter?

A bit negative to label Cousins a "battler". He's living the dream. A truck driver probably on very good coin and three horses in training as a hobby. Now bought a new suit and pitching up to all the parties with a horse that has already won $500k. His profit margin on that stake money will be huge. Now aiming for the famous Stradbroke worth $1.8m!! I'd love to be battling that much.

Chris Waller gives hobby trainer reason to believe he can complete Stradbroke fairytale www.racenet.com.au As he counts down the days to a fairytale crack at the 2025 Stradbroke Handicap, larrikin Brisbane hobby trainer Craig Cousins has the words of Chris Waller ringing in his ears. It will be a David versus Goliath battle in the Stradbroke as 60-year-old Cousins, who only has three horses in work, takes on some of racing's biggest names. Cousins knows he has a good horse and a good Stradbroke chance with home-bred hero The Inflictor, who is a $15 chance in Queensland's most prestigious race on Saturday week. The Inflictor qualified for the Stradbroke by scoring a golden ticket when winning The Gateway at Eagle Farm and he rubber-stamped his claims by scoring at Doomben last month with Nash Rawiller in the saddle. Enter Waller, who has infused Cousins with extra confidence and belief heading into the $3m Stradbroke. "I had never met Chris Waller before, I had just seen him from a distance and that was about it," Cousins said. "He's obviously a master at what he does. "I was walking around after the race the other day and I heard someone yelling, ‘Craig, Craig'. "I recognised the voice and it was Chris Waller. He shook my hand and congratulated me. "Chris said, ‘this is what racing is about, this is a great story'. He said he wished me all the best for the Stradbroke. "I told Chris he would probably have a good Stradbroke horse himself. "He said, ‘don't worry about mine Craig, yours is a genuine chance'." Four-year-old The Inflictor has won $499,000 in prizemoney and will add another $1.8m to that haul if he scores the Group 1 Stradbroke at Eagle Farm. It would be one of the greatest stories in Stradbroke history. Cousins juggles his day job as a truck driver with his work training horses but will put the handbrakes on the truck driving job next week so he can enjoy Stradbroke week. He has even bought himself a new suit for Stradbroke week and several new ties. He plans to lap up the week and go to Breakfast With The Stars at Eagle Farm on Tuesday as well as the barrier draw function at The Star on Tuesday night. "Life wouldn't change too much if I won the Stradbroke, but it would be a bloody good feeling," Cousins said. "My horse's win the other day was really impressive, I didn't realise how impressive it was until I watched a replay later. "I can only have three horses at the one time, if I have any more it's too hard doing it one-out. "I do get an occasional hand off different friends, but most of the time it's just me. "This horse will have a red-hot go in the Stradbroke."

Bookies pay out on incorrect numbers at Doomben www.racenet.com.au Bookmakers around the country have paid out on the incorrect numbers following the running of the second event at Doomben on Wednesday. The race was won in a driving finish by Sweet Pretender (15) with leader Provoker (5) and widest runner Mortal Halo (4) battling it out for the minor end of the placings. When correct weight was posted, the sport's biggest bookmakers, including TAB, Sportsbet and Ladbrokes, paid out on Provoker (5) finishing second with Mortal Halo (4) in third. Incorrect results for race two at Doomben However, Racing Australia and Racing Queensland results declared Mortal Halo (4) in second with Provoker (5) in third where a mere .02 of a length separated the two on the line. It's understood Queensland racing officials are delving into how the mishap occurred which has only impacted exotic punters that play quinellas, trifectas and first fours. Win and place betting wasn't impacted. The results as per Racing Australia It is common practice for a Steward to call through the numbers to the TAB control room before correct weight is then posted. It's understood a review of that process, and where the fault occurred, is being investigated. The issue doesn't impact connections which will be paid out prize money on the correct results. More to follow …