Chief Stipe

Entain Layoff Discrepancies Entain is experiencing “rapid growth in Australia,” according to a company statement. Despite its stronger results and the great success of its takeover of Tab NZ in New Zealand, it’s letting workers go. The changing environment will result in “a small number of redundancies” of positions in Australia. Exactly how many depends on who is providing the information. The Australian Financial Review said that more than 50 positions have been eliminated. Other sources told the media outlet that the figure is closer to 80. But another source puts the number higher. Last month, WPT Global Senior Marketing Manager Andrea King said in a LinkedIn post that the figure could be as high as 80%. King was a marketing manager at Entain until February of this year. Entain has been busy making several acquisitions in different markets over the past couple of years, most recently finalizing the purchase of Poland’s STS Holdings. As it reportedly leveraged much of the business to continue its M&A efforts, the employees who helped it get to where it is are paying the price.

Assuming that Entain globally makes good profits to sustain NZ losses. Also that there is no backout clause with TABNZ.

Easy fix. Get Entain to run the Fixed Odds book with All Stars excluded.

Belinda Mcarthy's case was similar to Morris's case where she had the horse for only 20 days and was inconclusive that she administered the prohibited substance. Boldenone was the detected substance - anabolic steroid for treating injured horses.

For using Levamisole - used to eliminate parasitic worm infections in cattle. Levamisole has been in and out of the banned substance list for horses over quite a few years. In Morris's case wasn't her defence that Ken Barron had done it and his defence was that he used a combined mineral and antiparasitic drench? Recent research indicates that the half life of Levamisole is longer than first thought. The problem in racing is that it metabolises into two prohibited stimulants.

I very much doubt it. Much of it is coming from disgruntled trainers and owners who have sold horses and seen them improve. Bear in mind they sold those horses thinking they were getting a good deal. We don't actually hear much of the cast offs that Grimson got that he couldn't turn around. There must be a few otherwise his winning percentage would be up with the top trainers.

So they set their horses for the big money? Same as Waller does. If as a punter you think every horse is tightened right up for every race then you are misguided.

So are you saying they are all cheating? If Grimson is do good why isn't his win % as good as Mcarthy? Is she cheating as well? Is this some big conspiracy? As for short placed favourites we used to get the same complaints with the All Stars.

Yes and that is probably the biggest problem. He has taken others cast offs and improved them. Nothing worse than showing someone else up, So? It's happened many many times over the history of harness racing. Hasn't Tim Butt been all over the place in the last couple of years? Setting up stables and then moving again? The horse Jack runs in a claimer the next start after winning? Look at the videos the horse was pacing rough. Seems Grimson fixed the ailment.

But it wasn't out of character for the horse. It had run a 1:51 mile rate to win at Melton in the past. Isn't Menangle the super fast track? Did you view those three starts after his previous win? Paced really rough in the start before Grimson took over. The start before that nearly went down when a horse came back on him and then ran a good sectional.

What about all the other variables I've listed? Been many trainers over the years who've seen a horse in another stable that they purchased and got going.

If Grimson is so good and has some mysterious all powerful performance enhancer.......why doesn't he knock the Trainers Premiership out of the park? Why isn't Emma Stewart called a drug cheat? She averages 35% winners to starters - Grimson the low twenties. Similar to Belinda Mcarthy. Is it because they are women and better looking?

Just addressed some of that knowledge base in my last post. Being better than the next guy isn't in itself an advantage. But you have already determined that they are guilty and have gained an unfair advantage purely on the basis that they are winning. No evidence of cheating even with pre and post race testing. If it is legal how can it by definition be unfair? So being able to afford to treat your horses with the best vets, feed them the best food and hire the best trainers and drivers is unfair? Did you go the the @holy ravioli school of economics? Would you operate your business like that? That is tell your competitors what makes you product so much better than theirs? That only achieves one thing a race towards mediocrity. But you are only expressing an opinion that says "Grimson is a drug cheat" with no supporting evidence other than he wins races. The same dirty finger that gets pointed at the Purdons or Te Akau or Gai Waterhouse.

A plodder? Wins over $50k and has 5 wins in NZ. As for the $500k in Perth. Was it that good a field for a slot race worth $1m? I've researched a few of these horses who have the finger pointed at them (often by @Archie Butterfly) because of a "sudden form reversal" and invariably I find some common factors. There is the Bettor's Delight factor - they get better with age. Reasonably well bred. On more than one occasion the horse has run some really good sectionals. Often trained and driven by an average or worse trainer/driver with some really bad drives. Gear changes evident when getting to the new trainer. Often a visible change in their style of racing and gait. This last win by Beterzippit in NZ was quite good was it not? Its last races in NZ it clocked a couple of 1:56 miles. Didn't have to improve that much to win in OZ. Yes the 1:48 mile at Menangle was exceptional but look at the differences in how he is racing in terms of style. PCM01042303.mp4

I accept the irony which is why I often go to great lengths to provide balance and or request proof of allegations made. Do you think it is acceptable to infer that someone is a drug cheat in the absence of any evidence? Or is it alright because you are tougher than most and false allegations don't worry you? In Grimson's case if one of those who provoked the reaction is a license holder or holds office in the harness industry should they not too be held to account for their actions that have bought racing integrity into disrepute?

Yeah na. Mount Egmont will erupt due to climate change and the ensuing wild fires will burn down all the expired PPE stored in warehouses. We will need a lateral flow test to determine if we are alive.

But @Gammalite you would have to admit that of any trainer in recent times Grimson has had extreme scrutiny because of his results. As I've said before either the Integrity Agency in Austrailia is inept or Grimson is a horse buying/training genius.

You obviously haven't experienced being incessantly harassed, bullied and had false accusations made about you. It takes its toll eventually and something breaks. Aside from the keyboard warriors Grimson was being harassed by what I understand to be an industry official. You've inferred he is a cheat but cannot present any proof that he is. There is a limit to how much anyone can tolerate before breaking. We've seen those outcomes in NZ from Operation INCA. Grimson could equally be a horse training/buying genius. Until there is proof that he isn't then I'd like to think he was.

I really liked this horse - Warsaw. His last win at Ruakaka was Verry Eleegant in style. Apparently sold for $1.5m to Hong Kong. M2_WHAN_R07_050823.mp4

How would you react if I called you a peodophile in public? The reaction by Grimson to what was blatant provocation is in my opinion understandable. I don't approve of what he did but hell the pressure of being accused of something without any proof at times must be intolerable. People may think he is cheating but without any proof perhaps they should keep their opinions to themselves? Doesn't the industry have a well fund agency to determine who is cheating and who isn't?

Couldn't be any worse than the last lot. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300936477/police-dogs-used-after-kiri-allan-found-away-from-crashed-car Ex-Minister of Justice: Police dogs used after Kiri Allan found away from crashed car

Pray tell - what is the conspiracy theory you are promoting? I'm not good at cryptic crosswords. Are you going to remove all the gracillis muscle injuries from your spreadsheet listing rail collisions?

You obviously haven't listend to Duff very much have you! What do you think of this quote from little Ron: