Chief Stipe

Oh the irony. It seems the collective intellect of the forward pack primarily made up of overweight props doesn't understand the description of fawning sycophants. LOL. It isnt applauding excellence where it is deserved and recognising hard working participants in the Racing Industry. That isnt sycophantic thats giving credit where credit is due. As for @nomates aka Bob Scott continually bagging the stable that gave him his most successful period in racing well that's at least ungrateful but at best weird.

I see the Premier Anti-Racing Forum prodded by the no principled @Pete Lane are bagging Karyn Fenton-Ellis. That typifies that site. Karyn would have to be one of the most enthusiastic hard working woman in racing I have had the pleasure of meeting. A friend of mine was encouraged to buy a share in a Te Akau yearling and I have been fortunate to see first hand Karyn's work and communication. An example was when Karyn was following Imperatriz (which she had a share in) in that period of successive Grp 1's in Australia and my friend would receive replies to emails in the early hours of the morning and not one didn't go unanswered. Ironcially if anyone has experienced how harmful online media can be it is Karyn and I'm sure she will bring that perspective to the BSA.

I don't think it is about intellect or lack thereof. In my opinion it is a malaise that is only too prevalent now. The issues can't be debated openly and reobustly without everything becoming personal, a conspiracy or tribal. It has always been present in the racing industry - being relatively small, insular and hard work to succeed many chose to keep the peace because they were afraid of being isolated. Australia by contrast excel in and embrace robust and colourful debate. Not wishing to go down the Wightman path but if you were a student of political decisions influencing social behaviour the periods of lockdown during covid made the malaise worse. A cynic would say that closing pubs while allowing the same people to go grocery shopping was not about reducing infection (they didn't) but about stopping debate. Anyway LOL no doubt the usual types will have a laugh about the above two paragraphs.

LOL - I just read the @JJ Flash 's stalking post. What he doesn't realise is that the banter you and I have is just that banter! Elsewhere you get banned if you upset someone's fragile opinion of their self. That's one of the downsides of social media - conversations are largely one on one whereas a pub conversation always has people prepared to interupt or instantly moderate.

@JJ Flash is still waiting for his ENTAIN share price predictions to be right. Another GFC might help him.

@Huey was too old to be a prodigy.

About the equivalent of Oaks Day at Flemington. Last years attendance Melbourne Cup Day was over 91,000. Up 8% year on year. The only issue I've ever had with The Everest is in my opinion due to its limited entry is it deserving of Grp 1 status. Overall is it the best sprinting field that could be assembled in Australia? Ka Ying Rising does elevate it.

Being unpopular has never worried me and I detest fawning sycophants. Interesting how they never front up to allow a robust counter debate.

Well if that is the case then why are NZ Trainers avoiding the Synthetic with their young horses? Perhaps the variability of the turf is better at initating that physiological response that trainers are seeking. Of course you have the full data on yearlings and 2 yr olds being "significantly safer" on Synthetics?

No you said there was only "one grass galloping track there". There are two. You'd "like" that wouldn't you @Freda? So the 2yr olds can develop on one grass galloping track and trial and race on the other? As for saying TA "bring their 2 yr olds up on grass tracks" - it is just an observation based of the fact they consistently avoid galloping or trialling on synthetic tracks with young horses. Ellis referred to that fact in his newsletter which was the lead post in this Topic.

You are conflating a two issues. @Brodie has been banging on about funding for a long time before ENTAIN pitched up to buy an insolvent TABNZ. Even then the Government had to bail TABNZ out with taxpayers money. So the revenue issue has been around a long time. ENTAIN has handed the industry a lifeline for 5 years before any revenue cuts occur. I'm not deflecting I'm just making the point, which you refuse to accept, that comparatively ENTAIN transgressions are nowhere near that of WESTPAC or CBA. The former received the largest fine in history! Yet the doomsayers are not looking at the facts of the case but are intent on sucking the lemon and casting doubt on ENTAIN's future. I post a great financial result and it is ignored. The point is ENTAIN are NOT going to be finded 100's of millions of dollars for their alleged transgressions. You can paint a scandulous picture if you want but it has no substance. So? Action was taken. Heads were rolled. Cost cutting has occurred. All prudent senior management decsions. Discuss it all you want but don't overlook facts! A fine man he may well be but you are overlooking his role in the alleged money laundering which YOU say is extremely serious. You can't have it both ways!! 2 bob each way as it were! I never said AUSTRAC wasn't a serious issue however to quantify it as a BIG thing is wrong when you compare it to other actions undertaken by AUSTRAC. Perspective is important!! As for your share price anlysis it was subjective and not accurate. In the last 6 months the share price as risen 46%! Profit takers took a profit in April and obviously have reloaded buying in at a lower price. Some have made an absolute killing! How do you know it has "disappeared"? You made that up or you are privy to ENTAINS corporate accounts.

Of course you are allowed to discuss whatever you want on BOAY (unlike the Anti-racing sites). However you have made the same point several times now and have yet to take on board the facts.

Well if sentimentality is going to rule selections then I'm backing War Machine.

But it would eliminate some?

That's TWO turf tracks. Regardless of the obsessive negative nit picking how does the number of turf tracks at Cranbourne negate what the Ellis said about Te Akau's preferred training and trialling surface for their yearlings and 2 year olds? BTW I'm not defending anyone or being a spokesperson I just posted a publically available online newsletter and made a comment.

I don't know either but if they did it may reduce turnover but could improve margin.

So? We have discussed this ad infinitum. Quantitatively it is not as significant as other corporations taken on by AUSTRAC. Did ENTAIN know that they were "alleged drug traffickers"? Probably not. Did they have the AML systems in place to stop the activity? Seems they didn't however they do have now. Note ENTAIN did alert the authorities. Two of OZ's major banks and two large Casinos erred as well but by a significant quantum. You probably bank with one or both of those banks - how does it sit with you that they facilitated the laundering of billions? BUZZ - wrong. There was some profit taking in April which saw the price drop. However it is up 46% since April. ENTAIN announced this week Q3 revenue has grown 6%. Not bad in this economic environment. Entain’s transformation plan appears to be gaining ground. The FTSE 100 betting and gaming group posted a solid third quarter, buoyed by strong growth at its US joint venture BetMGM and steady progress in its core online operations. Total group net gaming revenue (NGR), including Entain’s 50 per cent share of BetMGM, rose 6 per cent year on year, or 7 per cent on a constant-currency basis. Group NGR excluding the US grew 4 per cent, while online revenue climbed 5 per cent. Retail, which includes Ladbrokes and Coral shops, rose 3 per cent. The performance marks a stabilisation for the group following a year of restructuring and leadership changes. Chief executive Stella David, who took the helm earlier this year, said the business was “delivering growth across our portfolio” and highlighted the “sustainable, profitable growth” emerging from BetMGM. Rank Group results showing steady revenue growth UK Stock Market News: Entain, PageGroup, Rank HSBC proposes privatisation of Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Bank Entain reiterated full-year guidance for group EBITDA of £1.1bn to £1.15bn, and expects online NGR growth of around 7 per cent on a constant-currency basis. BetMGM, meanwhile, upgraded its outlook and now forecasts net revenue of at least $2.75bn and EBITDA of about $200mn for 2025 — a sharp improvement on previous expectations. The joint venture also plans to return at least $200mn to its parent companies this year, a sign that the long-term investment in the US market is starting to pay off. Entain’s mixed core trading picture In its core operations, trading remained mixed but resilient. The UK and Ireland business performed well, with NGR up 8 per cent at constant exchange rates. Online grew 15 per cent, supported by higher player values and market share gains, while retail rose 2 per cent amid improving sports and gaming activity. Internationally, NGR rose 1 per cent. Online volumes increased 5 per cent, but the benefit was largely offset by customer-friendly sports results in September, which hit betting margins. The impact was most visible in Brazil, where revenue dropped 11 per cent despite strong underlying demand, and in Australia, which was down 6 per cent. Italy, by contrast, grew 6 per cent, maintaining steady market share. Double-digit online growth was recorded in several smaller markets, including Georgia, Spain, New Zealand, Canada and Greece. Entain CEE, the group’s Central and Eastern Europe joint venture, continued to perform ahead of expectations, with NGR up 10 per cent, led by strength in Croatia. BetMGM remains the star performer BetMGM remained the star performer. The US business posted net revenue of $667mn in the quarter, up 23 per cent on a constant-currency basis. Sports betting revenue grew 36 per cent, while iGaming advanced 21 per cent, helped by a stronger product offering and more effective customer engagement. Despite a drag from adverse sports results in September, the underlying picture looks encouraging. Entain expects its online business to deliver an EBITDA margin of 25–26 per cent for the full year. The group emphasised its focus on cash generation and expects to produce more than £500mn in annual adjusted cash flow from 2028. For investors, the third quarter offers cautious reassurance. After a turbulent period marked by regulatory scrutiny and management overhaul, Entain appears to be regaining its footing. With BetMGM profitable and growing, and the core business stabilising, the group may finally be moving from transformation to traction.

Isn't the key issue not one of AML (which is what AUSTRAC is focussed on) but gambling harm which is a different juridiction in OZ? A VIP generally gets enticements and rebates to continue to spend money. You don't need a VIP manager to do that.

Where will those punters go?

I only posted a comment that even Te Akau were finding this Spring tough to get their horses ready. I assure you @Freda 's sarcasm and cynicism doesn't upset me at all. She knows full well where the young horses are educated. If she has problems with her own track facilities then she should take it up with @Pitman and Mills.

Bloody all this angst and tribal diatrive over me making the comment that even Te Akau with all its resources are finding this Spring difficult to get their horses ready and that they prefer to educate and trial their young horses on Turf.

BUZZ - wrong! The Cranbourne Training Complex is the completion of Victoria’s vision to build a purpose-built training facility. This complex is the envy of trainers from all areas, a fact that is displayed openly on trial days when all the metropolitan trainers appear with their horses to take advantage of the excellent surfaces. Current training tracks include: Course Proper – 2400 metres – 27 metres wide Inside Grass – 2150 metres – 26 metres wide Viscoride Track – 1900 metres – 12 metres wide Fast Sand Track – 2020 metres – 15 metres wide Slow Sand Track (x2) – 1400 metres – 13 metres wide Cranbourne Training Complex also includes trail tracks, sand hills, an exercise track, a swimming pool, a bull ring and an underground tunnel network which provides safe access to and from all training tracks.

Bollocks @Freda. You've been listening to @Pitman too much. You know where Te Akau EDUCATE their young horses. It makes sense that they are educated in the Waikato where there are all the facilities you need plus world leading vet support and acres of high quality agistment. Surely you are not suggesting that for a horse to be considered "trained at Riccarton" it has to have spent its entire education time and pre-training there? That would eliminate quite a few of your horses would it not?

Usual suspects - a small number of underachievers and disenfranchised rousing a small group. I see Roc de Cambes has reincarnated and is "inspiring" those with no mates. Interesting how they don't actually debate the issues but focus on playing the man.

My partner and I spent a very enjoyable and enlightened evening with Ron and his partner at the Ellerslie Novotel after the first day of the Karaka Sales this year. What really resonated with me was his farming background (pigs) and his eye for livestock which transferred to buying good horses at good prices.