Speaker 1We're on, we're ready, set to go, they're off and racing, down the way, knuckling out a great finish, 3-4 in front, what a superstar, what a courageous win, an absolute thrill, and the crowd here is phenomenal, unreal. On Sky Sports Radio and Radio Tab, welcome to Racing HQ, Racing HQ, here's your host, Dave Stanley.
Speaker 2Yeah, good morning and welcome to Racing HQ on this Wednesday, the 30th of September, hopefully everyone has had a really good morning this morning, had some fun with Laurie and Mido, they'll be back tomorrow from 5.30, and wherever you are listening around the country today, well, we're going to have a big show lined up very soon, Adrian Bott, Mitch Cohen with the news, Gil McLaughlin will join us from Tab Corp, of course, One Pool launching, we're going to ask him a few questions and get excited about the weekend. A lot is being done. built around what's going to happen on Saturday and over the course of the Epsom weekend and into the spring carnival. We've got Stephen Marsh joining us. Well-written. He's got a bit of history to break, age and all mentioned. John Sarge and Scott Singleton. And we've also got Latoya James from Equimillion. Anthony Don with his tips. The Don is good. Brad Grail joining us. Brodie Nixon. James Jordan from Melbourne, where we go racing today at Ballarat. So our main meetings across the country, we've got in SA, Balaclava, Ballarat in, of course, Victoria, Doombim. And we've got a Rose Hill meeting. And a Rose Hill meeting, Adrian, that traditionally throws up a horse. If you go back through this meeting, this Wednesday meeting, they have a big grand final lunch there. But if you go back through history of this Wednesday meeting, I'm sure Brad Grail references some good horses have won on this day, especially three-year-olds. So they seem to, it seems to be a launching pad for the Wallace stable and others to, when they get to the spring, whether it be in Sydney or they go to Melbourne, they can rock up in a good race. Hello to you, mate. How are you on this Wednesday?
Speaker 3Very well, Dave. I don't have those stats in front of me, but what I do have is 38 scratchings at Rose Hill Gardens today. So plenty of them at Rose Hill. And as you referenced, we'll chat to Stephen Marsh. So well-written. She was scheduled to arrive last night at around eight o'clock at Royal Randwick. So she's in town and she's got a bit of history to break. She's got 55 kilos on the weekend. The last mare to win the Epsom with more than that was a mare, called Winx. So she's got a lot of history to break. And I think she's got a lot of weight on the weekend. Just looking at it, Autumn Glow carried 54 and a half kilos last year and won the Epsom, but she's got a fair chunk this year and she has drawn well. And the wet track, I don't think will hold any fears for her. Excited to chat with Stephen, excited to chat to Adrian Bott as well shortly. Dave Serdelius, the Euphrates and plenty of two-year-olds. We'll see the breeders in the gym crack on the weekend.
Speaker 2How are you Nathan Shepard? How are you? After that, that was a sick beat yesterday for you in the NFL,
Speaker 4mate. That was tough, Dave. The multi is paying $15 and we need four more yards from a player. Didn't get the chance right near the end, Dave. That was a tough beat, but we're going to fight back this weekend. The punters are going to get involved with today's show because we'll get that sports multi up and running. Got the grand final for the NRL and a lot of other sport around the country. Might even get some NFL in that multi as well. Really keen for today's show. Stephen Marsh, you guys mentioned with well-written. Adrian's been potting it. Dave Adrian's been potting it, but I think seven and O in New Zealand won a couple of group races. I think it's a good chance at $4 50 on the weekend. So very keen to see what has Stephen has to say. It'd be good to get the CEO on. Hopefully we can get a promotion out of it.
Speaker 2Oh, geez. You already, that's what you see in the dollar sign. So Adrian, this race meeting last year at Rose Hill, the where's the rail today, mate, actually seven as well. The entire five was at five. So last year it was seven. They raced on a good four pen. Oh, 5.25. The winner of the first, last year, which the 400 meter tab plate was Shangri-La boy. Now we know what Shangri-La boy then went on to continue to do. Not only in that prep last year, he won the gloaming. He also ran second in the spring champion behind Attica in that race was Nordic Viking and Providence Providence. Also in that race. And on that same day, golden strand one, he won the last over the 1200 for Matt Smith. So that was in 2000 and 25. And if you get on the racing, New South Wales calendar and have a look and you even go, go back to say 2024, it's always this Wednesday before beforehand of the NRL grand final. And as I said today, there's a big luncheon happening out there with the Australian turf club. I think they're going to I've got a fair few people locked in. So you might hear and see some roaring when it comes through on the screens because they love getting out there and having a good time, but some good horses are sort of one at Adrian, but is there connected, ready to rock and roll morning, Adrian one day ready for a big Wednesday. It is a good little meeting. This, as you know, it's well-placed and it gives you an opportunity as you've done in the past. And I just mentioned Shangri-La boy, you can start horses here today and then progress into other races throughout the course of spring.
Speaker 5Yeah, certainly always a, always a nice meeting. As you said, the form, the form stacks up a few of those horses that is coming through a little bit later in the, in the preparations, but still some nice targets ahead.
Speaker 2So where should we start? I think we should start with Saturday and I might start with the big fella because he is, a name when it comes to racing across the country that we all know, Sir Delius, he lines up in a Turnbull stakes, a tab Turnbull stakes. Uh, I know we've spoken since then, but just for our audience who maybe didn't hear that interview, what did you make of that run in the Maccabi Deva behind she's alibi?
Speaker 5Yeah, look, I thought it was an honest effort from him first time out. Um, I've never seen him sort of too effective over the mile here in Australia. Uh, there's still a nice, nice starting point for him. Um, certainly felt he's doing his best work late in that race. Um, yeah. And importantly, he's improved off that trained on and gets the better conditions on Saturday.
Speaker 2Are you expecting a, a really big improvement or are you just sort of expecting that gradual improvement because he's got to know big fish to fry continuing on, not saying this isn't a big fish. You want to win as many group ones as you can, but we do know that he's on a plan to try and win that Cox plate.
Speaker 5Yeah. Well, I think you'd want to say, I think it's going to be a pretty decent, um, pretty decent improvement, um, off the back of that first up run, which is traditionally what we're saying. Um, yeah, he's aiming to beat a Cox plate third up. So, um, we need him pretty close to the mark on, on Saturday in order to have him where he needs to be for, for a Cox plate. You sort of can't be expecting to go into that type of race and, and, and still, um, yeah, still re leaving sort of a lot of room for improvement. So, uh, yeah, sad. That'd be a good test. For us. Um, but as I said, it's, it's mainly just the difference between him effective at 2000 meters and, and a mile is pretty significant. And also the, you know, he does obviously also need the right type of race shape as well.
Speaker 2Yeah. Is there, is it too hard to quantify how horses are going this time compared to last time? Because he won this race last year off the exact same setup. So does he look the same? Is he, is he, is his blood count his track, um, track work, you know, post recovery, whatever other data you can pull on this horse? Is it, is it similar to what it was last year?
Speaker 5Yeah. Look from every, which way you look at every single indicator that we can sort of find or, or look at or, or assess. Yeah. Feel he's in as good a, as good a shape as he's, um, been in, in his previous preparations. We're really happy with where he's at, um, for this stage of the preparation and yeah, right on. Yeah. I, I would say very equally measured across all campaigns as to where he's been
Speaker 2at. Okay. So that is a Sir Delius in the tab Turnbull stakes. Uh, and there's been some talk about him going overseas to Hong Kong. Is that something that is still firmly in your mind to, to finish, you know, a Cox plate campaign. You've still obviously got champions day as well, if you decide to go there, but do you want to get him to Hong Kong?
Speaker 5Well, if you'd certainly be going to champions day first, that's always been the plan. Um, and then, yeah, the, uh, there are a couple of international options that, that work in and tie in really well in terms of the timing. And, um, you know, obviously always be fantastic opportunity to be traveling horses and campaigning them internationally. Um, you know, particularly for a horse of his, his profile, um, certainly help add some, um, yeah, further value to, to his credentials as well. Uh, but obviously lots to do here first, um, got to make the right decision by the horse. So that's the right thing to do. But, but, uh, yeah, all, all things going well, the, the opportunity or the, the path is there for him. Um, and then now it's just up to him to, um, show us that every, every step of the way.
Speaker 2All right. We come back to Sydney. So we touch on Sir Delius, their punters and the Turnbull stakes, and I'm sure people will be listening to what you have to say about him and also, uh, making up their mind when they start to do their form for the weekend in the metropolitan, you've got the Euphrates who looks like a proper stayer. He does have that defeat in an Irish, Western ledger on his CV, and he was only beaten just under four there. He was so dominant last start. What? Two minutes, 48. How's he come through that run? The Euphrates. Yeah.
Speaker 5Excellent. Um, he's just been improving throughout the campaign. Um, yeah, I guess I thought he ran a very big race first up, but then there was always sort of going to be the, you know, there was a few people had a question mark out how he would sort of bounce second up there off such a brilliant first up return offer, you know, a long, long layoff away from the races. So I thought he obviously answered that really well. And that's his style. He can carve out a certain sectional. He's got that cruising speed. I guess his ability is that he can sustain that over a good trip. So what he's been able to show over the 2000, he can do the same again over 2,400 metres on Saturday.
Speaker 2And is that the best way? Is that the key to him, to let him run along and dominate his race? Is he one of those horses that doesn't really like to have that horse eyeballing him? He just wants to run away?
Speaker 5Well, it certainly suits his best attributes. And then also at the same time, I'm sure that makes it difficult for a few other horses that might have a bit more natural brilliance than him if he's making it a proper staying test and making it pretty hard for them to get into the race. They were well and truly strung out there the other day. The pressure was on from the outset. So for a few of those horses, it might be a bit sharper than him. Yeah, it's difficult to sort of be chasing those sectionals and then really been trying to improve off that. Yeah, that makes it a good staying test and probably works into his favours.
Speaker 2All you can do is win. And what I mean by that, Adrian, and we're chatting with Adrian Bott this morning on Racing HQ, is fully lit, big run in the Cameron. Really puts him away with a bit of style there. Lovely ride. By Reggie. And there was some money around to suggest that he would be going quite well. He now gets into this Epson with Winona Koston on board, 51 kilos, gate eight, and I'm sure a lot of excited owners.
Speaker 5Yeah, certainly is a lovely big ownership group in him. We've just had such a wonderful ride across a number of seasons in big races. So he's been a tremendous horse for them. Sad to have another great day again. Yeah, he's going there in great shape. That was a very. good win. Yeah, it's always a good lead up for the race and ran obviously very well in the Epson last year. I feel he's probably going a little bit better this time through, just certainly going off his lead up runs. So yeah, looks to get the right conditions, looks well placed once again. And yeah, hopefully gives the big group something to, you know, plenty to cheer about.
Speaker 2All right. So that is the Metrop. We touch on the Serdelius in the Turnbull and then just fully lit in an Epson. Let's look at. Let's look at some of the other runners for Saturday. Always Your Stable has a nice two-year-old. So let's talk about the Gym Crack and the Breeders' Plate. We'll start with Bourbon Beat, a $350,000 purchase, trialled very well at those official two-year-old trials.
Speaker 5Yeah, she's been excellent. A lot of upside with her. Lovely, strong type. I think she's got a lot of improvement to come. She's just been sort of. just working out what it's all about. And each step of the way, she's shown significant improvement. So yeah, she's got to be a great chance on Saturday.
Speaker 2What about Runaway Diva, who is a $380,000 daughter of Animo?
Speaker 5Yeah, hard to fault her. Yeah, that was a nice professional performance on the day. She looks a tough filly that's handling it really well. Yeah, I was very pleased with the display she showed at the trials.
Speaker 2And you've also got Outback Affair in the Gym Crack too. At this stage?
Speaker 5Yeah, she's a different trial to the other two fillies. She's in quite the same tactical speed. So she's one that just. we had to find her feet, but she was good late in the trial. And one that I thought actually, you know, worked out quite sharply out of the three there on Tuesday morning.
Speaker 2And when it comes to a breeder's plate for the Colton Geldings, you've got the two here, Flying Houdini and Stasis. So firstly, this Flying Houdini,
Speaker 5is fast. Yeah, he is. And he probably looked the more natural two-year-old type of the two horses going there. Obviously, great gait speed. Just love the way he kept responding when challenged. So he's got some nice upside. And, you know, we've just been seeing that sort of pattern with him all the way through. He looks to be thriving in his work and handling it all very well. Stasis, I thought was a lovely trial. And he found the line really strong late. You know, a bit of a different style of horse to Flying Houdini. He's probably a horse we're going to see a lot more of later on in his career, but certainly doing enough to be very competitive for us at present.
Speaker 2And just a text here before I ask about today on Vauban. How's Vauban going?
Speaker 5Yeah, he's in good shape. He's just taken a little bit longer to come up off that Queensland campaign, and just sort of changing a few things up with him. He's gone down to Melbourne. He had a trial down there just last week. So Phil was starting to get him where he needs to be. Obviously, his two trials in Sydney were a bit substandard. So he's improving for us. We don't have an exact kickoff points. We want to make sure we get the horse where he needs to be first.
Speaker 2Okay, so that is to that text there with Vauban. Thank you, Ben. Today at. To Rose Hill, Adrian Bott. Low key, very short price favourite. You've got. I see Savagram Scratch. So you'll probably go. Well, you definitely will go to the Dulcify on the weekend then, which is exciting. He's an exciting horse. Have you got a winner there for us today, or a couple that we should just be keeping an eye on as punters?
Speaker 5Yeah. Obviously, low key is very, very short in the market. She went down very narrowly in a short price favourite at her first up, this prep. But form, obviously, has been. You know, I do think she's got a good bit of talent. So I'd like to be able to see her bounce back for us today. Shanty, I thought, was very good on debut. She may appreciate just getting out over a little bit further in time would sort of be the only query. I thought Savvy Spy was excellent first up. Didn't quite get the race run to suit there second up. So I think he can be forgiven. He could bounce back and look some more suitable race. Out of line, we'll appreciate getting out over a bit further. So probably low key is our best chance of the day. Metallic Cat's come back well. Awkward Drawer and Duke of Arrakis may need a little bit further in time.
Speaker 2Appreciate you joining us, Adrian. Good luck with the big gun, Sir Delius, et cetera. And let's see if we can get him back in the winter store. There'll be a lot of punters that'll be keen to back him and then obviously keen to back him in a Cox Plateon. They'll see. I swear, mate. So good luck.
Speaker 5Appreciate it, Dave.
Speaker 2Thank you. There we go. There's Adrian Bott this morning. So we'll take a break. Savvagram comes out. I just want to bring you in here quickly before the break, Adrian. Just what have you absorbed? I know you were hanging on every word there from Adrian. You love Sir Delius. You also like the look of those two-year-olds from the trials. I know you'll do more form later when we get these fields to drop. But, I mean, punters, there's a reason Adrian Bott was on the program this morning. It's because Adrian likes you. Nathan and I have learnt this. We will have a team discussion about who we want on the program and Nathan will go every week, Zach Lloyd, Zach Lloyd, can we get Zach Lloyd on? Zach, well, let's get Zach on. I'll always sort of vote for Nash or Willa, but, you know, we can't sort of sometimes get Nash all the time. So usually if Adrian likes some horses, he gets these trainers on. Is that sort of a fair assessment, Adrian?
Speaker 3Yeah, but also you see Sir Delius in the nominations. That's true. You've got to go there. The journo instinct in me says you've got to go there.
Speaker 2So Ray Martin, I didn't realise you had Ray Martin.
Speaker 3The Euphrates is the one that's interesting for me. Yes. He ran super time last time. He's asked to carry 59 kilos in the Metropolitan this year and naturally it's not a group one anymore, but he's going to be awfully hard to beat on the weekend. And Stassis, it was good to see him or Adrian say that he's one that will hit the line hard on the weekend. I think he's probably the one that's over the odds at the moment in the breeders' plate.
Speaker 2Okay. Any key takeouts for you, Nathan, before we get to a break? And Mitch Cohen next.
Speaker 4Back to Adrian. If Athel Wolf's in the Metro, just off the top of your head, who do you have on top of your tip sheet?
Speaker 3I would lean towards the Euphrates at the moment. I was impressed with him.
Speaker 2That's a big call. I still don't know what they're going to do. Well, no one does apart from Matt Smith. Yeah, no one knows. I was talking to a good judge last night and he just made a point. He said it's a big risk in a horse with its preparation to go to Melbourne like that. Obviously, you want to win Melbourne Cups, but you're changing sort of things with him. You know, it's a new environment, trucks, you know, sometimes when horses go to Melbourne, when horses travel, they can pick up a bug or just, you know, he's so raw as well. Do you just keep him here in Sydney? Do you keep him here? Keep him in his backyard, just a float trip down the road from Warwick Farm? And then you can still, you know, if he runs well in a Metropolitan, surely they haven't smashed that race up to pieces where it would be difficult for him to try and make a Melbourne Cup field. I know it's only a Group 2 now, but surely. Yeah, you wouldn't think so. Surely if he was.
Speaker 3There's rain in both states as well. You look at the Flemington radar, there's 3 to 30 Friday and then I think. 1 to 25 on race day and in Sydney, 1 to 15 at Randwick on the weekend. So there's rain in both states. So I think track conditions, pretty similar. Flemington drains very, very well, but it's just going to come down to barriers and race set up. The market says, or all in markets, did say that he's more fancied in Melbourne.
Speaker 2Now, you've got a lot of power. Dave from Kellyville's just sent a text in as well. This is to you, Nath. What's happening with the Sky Racing website? With the DFS, Daily Form Service. I didn't even know we had a DFS, but it sounds good. PDF for all race form for the past few days so i didn't realize what you can get the form in a pdf format off the website it's hard enough trying to back a winner trying to do it blind it's like walking into mcdonald's and having no burgers or fries dave from kellyville well dave we will ask the the right people we will send nath off to it we're
Speaker 4basically a receptionist for sky to find out we will
Speaker 2find but that's what we do we want to help people big family did you even know they had a dfs did not know i thought that's where you bought the cheap clothes from that's dfo god they're packed on
Speaker 4rainy days dfo can't get a park aren't they terrible all right
Speaker 2let's get to mitch cohen next the latest racing news with mitch cohen mitch cohen good morning to you how are you yeah good boys how are you
Speaker 6all great final week
Speaker 2yeah it is great time of the year and here we rock and roll because we've got a big weekend it is a great epson as you have put here in your points and he chris waller going for a record equaling
Speaker 6win yeah seven uh epson handicap win to a match the exploits of tommy smith and gay and look he would have been licking his lips yesterday wouldn't he dave with autumn boy uh the hot pot drawing barrier one with james mcdonald on so he's going to get every chance he's running in the she's an alibi the last couple of times he's gone on the mile but there's no she's alibi here i suppose we've got new zealand's version of this she's an alibi in this racing well written so what does she bring to the table i was speaking to zach lloyd last week who obviously took this ride pretty early day look he's just trusting that um she's obviously proven herself over there that she's good enough to match it over here although he was a little surprised with the weight she did get for this assignment she'd get a bit more than i think they were expecting but a cracking race between the two of them dave it doesn't stop just here i think with this epson handicap in recent years just with the creation of the allen brand and we sort of wonder how the epson handicap field's going to shape up because a lot of those horses that ordinarily might have gone here that are better at 1400 meters line up next week in that allen brown but seeing the likes of chow wolf there idle flyer attica of course i think gets into this race really well doesn't he dave he's had a nice two little runs to get into this and drops six and a half kilos from that run in the tramway stake so he's certainly drawn well uh as his stablemate chow wolf looking to become uh the first jewel that i've ever seen in a race and he's going to have to carry uh a modern day weight carrying record to do it day with 59 kilos not since superimposed carried 61 has a horse carried more so plenty of storylines there dave but a really cracking race probably can't say that same i think it's a cracking race but um between the top three in the market but just not that big field that will probably um it happens sometimes with these flight stakes but just a field of seven in the flight stakes i think uh the market and you know i think it's going to be a really good race and i think the lead-up race in that t rose has got this race pretty well pegged doesn't it i know you've got john sargent on the program later on and doesn't he have a filly that looks like she'll be crying out for a mile and peaking on
Speaker 2saturday now uh in regards to other races for the um the weekend there's going to be some metrop field news you've got for us and i guess we were just touching on matt smith he's got a big decision to
Speaker 6make yeah absolutely big decision isn't it and uh he is among the acceptances so 13 acceptances for the metropolitan we would have uh previously got the field yesterday but of course being at downgrade the group two uh we've got it this morning so it should be about 13 runners when it gets revealed later on this morning dave so eddie is all about alpha wolf where's he going to draw uh what's the race going to look like matt smith's obviously booked craig williams down in melbourne as well to potentially go to that bart cummings i guess the carrot there for that bart cummings is of course the ballot exemption and the golden ticket into the melbourne cup now what a feat it would be for him to get that far he has been up a long time so i know the table's just playing it sort of race by race with him because um look he's a horse that's really um come from the clouds at the start of this preparation um he was beaten in a class one at newcastle uh dave so if he can go on to win a melbourne cup or win a metropolitan or a bart cummings on route to a melbourne cup it's it's quite the feat but he'll be the talking point from this metropolitan and hoping to find out later today once those draws are sorted um which way matt smith will go so um i know you've just had adrian bott on the program so of course they've accepted there the likes of solar spain green spaces duikibo pinhole uh and the budgie smuggler in that metropolitan on saturday day
Speaker 2all right and uh also kanying rising you got an update there for us before we wrap up yeah we'll
Speaker 6just be well across the premier just a bit of both dave so the premier stakes of course will be on saturday and it's a pretty big everest lead up isn't it for the likes of tempted who of course was brilliant winning the concord they're running that same pattern as they do with jimmy star and bella of course not only are they going to win the concord they're going to win the concord looking to bounce back from that run in the shorts but maybe not so much bounce back they just got sort of caught wide from a bad draw and uh they weren't they were struggling to run on on the card so that uh premier states will have the likes of tempted ninja headwall and i guess savvy hallie's probably another one that could put a hand up for an everest in that race dave so they'll all be looking towards kanying rising who of course had a little bit of a faster build up there yesterday at canberra park as he's heading towards that trial next tuesday now i would just be wary dave i don't want to mention the account because i don't want to give him any more credit but there is a twitter account or x account floating around planning little rumors that uh kanying rising is not right again so just putters beware just um just don't follow those sort of things because we could have a uh scenario like we did last year where the rumor gets out yeah i saw that someone's trying to capitalize and be a bit of a fool uh to throw themselves in the mix when um it's certainly not the
Speaker 2case yep no i saw that popping up yesterday on uh on the socials and i think it's going to be a good one i think it's going to be a good one i think yeah i don't know but in that situation like why can't we find look surely someone knows like who that person is oh i don't know dave
Speaker 6people make burner accounts and have nothing to do we've we've said all the time they want to even even athletes um some professional athletes have been caught on their own burner accounts protecting themselves so um yeah what people do in their own time baffles me sometimes but just on this everest dave i think we've probably pretty much got a bit of a clearer picture after the weekend didn't we i mean jimmy star you've got to think i know you've got gill on the program soon but um surely the tab uh will want jimmy star running in that slot again after his performance on saturday i'm gonna ask you yeah you've got to ask what are you
Speaker 2picking i know there's a team of people at tab but at the end of the day it probably well it is it's gills mate what are you is there a better option
Speaker 6there's not a better option on the table i wouldn't think dave i mean you're like at you long they've probably got to go with angel capital now um the team behind guest house have said yeah they're happy to push forward to um at everest as well so there's cool more chris wallace got uh joely star of there and of course tempted comes out on today she only needs to run as well as she did first up and she's in the good open spot so that leaves us about i think ingless mulberry and in the james harron spot so i think we're getting towards closing on to what the field will look like
Speaker 2in 2026 have a good day mitch talk soon enjoy that racing hq with dave stanley on sky sports radio and radio tab well there's a big thing coming your way punters on friday and we'll be right back and over the course of the weekend and then into spring it will be the new future it is one pool it is something that tab corp have been well trying to do for i'd say a number of years now and gillan mclaughlin is the ceo and he joins us on racing hq to talk to the punters i think this is fantastic the ceo of the one of the biggest bookmakers and companies in the world when it comes to uh wagering he's going to be talking to you the punter right here right now morning gill
Speaker 1hi dave thanks for having me man
Speaker 2i appreciate uh you doing this because as i said a lot of our audience in fact the majority of our audience are the the bread and butter they are the people that will be using this product they go to pubs and clubs they go to their races and they just live and breathe it so i wanted to try and simplify um some things today because we're hearing sort of big words and and you know big analysis of what this is my first question to you what simply is one pool for those people out there listening that may be seeing things but not sure exactly
Speaker 1what's going on um so wherever you are uh having a try and have a bet you'll you'll have the fixed odds in the tote and ultimately that there is three totes in australia uh and what we're conveying them is into one national paramutual um platform one tote so if you're in queensland or in victoria or new south wales you're all betting into the same pool which means the money's aggregated and so the pools are deeper and i mean the prices are more stable and they're more competitive ultimately so does that
Speaker 2mean for the everyday punter it will be you know a better product to be betting into and that that's why this is one of the reasons why this is designed
Speaker 1certainly that's our that's our view yes that's the that's the theory of the day that if you're having a bit in new south wales with the same seamless experience but you are betting against ultimately because it's peer-to-peer betting you're being it's people who not just in if you're in queensland against people in queensland you're being against people in new south wales victoria um south australia which you which you were doing before and then and and you have a deeper amount of money and the prices are more stable and more more representative of a national peer-to-peer betting product so it's a so it's a better product more competitive and in in many cases and hopefully the majority of cases a better price than the fixed
Speaker 2odds we've already seen uh and for those avid watchers of sky racing you would have seen over the last couple of days some testing being done uh the the national tote with you know older style graphics etc appearing how has that testing gone and what are the figures showing you already?
Speaker 1Well, I'd take the figures. It's a limited sample size tape, but they're encouraging. But the technology stuff is obviously. There's four things we had to solve to get this in. I heard you talk to your lead, and when I got here, it had been something that had been on the table for a long time, unifying the totes. There has been a technology solved, there's been a commercial solved, getting all the takeout rights to sync, there's been reg approvals and there's been PRA approvals, getting all the states to agree. So the tech stuff, touching wood all the time, but we've done a very soft launch. We did a few races, we started Warwick last Friday, I think, and so far so good. Won't go to commercials, but it's encouraging. I think, you know, for the punters out there too, I think we often think about the big thoroughbred Saturdays because we'll be group ones at Bramwick and Flemington on Saturday, but for the dogs and the harness and the others, this is going to be important for punters who want to bed into those pools, because they're going to be much, you know, we think there'll be a significant difference for all punters, as much thoroughbreds as dogs, dogs aren't as much as thoroughbreds. And we're going to look differently on Sky, and I've seen all the mock-ups of that, and that will play out with soft launch Friday, you know, medium launch Friday, and then full works and jerks on Saturday with promotions and seeding of pools, and, you know, I think punters sort of lean in with us on Saturday and you'll see a lot of things, as it'll take your fancy with your wind place better and exotic better.
Speaker 2Yeah, that is a key point for people watching, whether it be their app or they're in venue or at the track or even at home watching on Fox, there will be a new design coming to the channels of Sky, especially Sky Racing 1, which, you know, we're pretty excited about. There's been a lot of internal testing here at Sky Racing, and I think it looks really schmick. Why, Gil? Look, it looks different, Dave, doesn't it? Yeah, it does. It's much more appealing. Well, it looks new. It looks new. It looks fresh. And those, I remember the head of Sky, Ben Lloyd, talking about it in an internal presentation. It's been over maybe nearly two decades since those graphics have been updated, and we regularly see when we're watching AFL or NRL or other sports, you know, being it regularly updated more for those sports. So I think it's awesome. Why has it taken so long for this, you know, national tote, do you feel, to be a reality over the years? You know, even before your time, do you think it was just getting everyone on the same page, or was it really, you know, the technology side of things?
Speaker 1No, I don't think it was the technology. I think change is difficult, and, you know, racing is emotional, and dealing with different stakeholders. You know, I worked in sport before for a long time, and, you know, I think stakeholders exceeding power or making change, it's always difficult. So I don't know why not before. I'm not saying this is an easy journey, and, you know, working with the state bodies, everyone had their views. So I think it's the brutal truth of change being difficult and being an emotional journey for many people, because, you know, the tote's been the bedrock of racing on a state-by-state basis for a long period of time. And so I think this perception of exceeding power or consistency, or control, or whatever it is, but I think a united view of racing, that we need deeper pools, we need product innovation, we need jackpots, we need reinvigorating the tote, and this is the first step in that. You know, I guess I'd say to all the punters out there, this is a big journey. We will look at what we can do with takeout rates, we'll look at different product development, we'll look at different types of evolution of what is peer-to-peer, and where people lean into it and they know who they're competing against.
Speaker 2Do you want to take this, and I know you want to focus on Australia first and make sure the mechanism's humming here, but we look it over at our friends in Hong Kong and Japan and we see how massive their tote pools are. Is it a possibility that we can work in those pools? I know we've already got one pool at the moment, but is that something you want to have more of?
Speaker 1Yeah, so, I mean, I think, I think we do 70-something one-pool races, and there's an example, and there's reg requirements in Hong Kong, but it should be, Dave, that if you're having a bet on the Melbourne Cup on the high street in Newmarket, then you're betting on the UK tote, you're betting into our pools. It should be like that in almost every, or it should be that in every parimutuel jurisdiction. Now, there's the theory, and then there is the practicalities of actually doing that, but that's the vision, that it's a one-pool globally that everyone bets into, and then you can work on globally on what, how you might have a product that is best for punters, and that will, in fact, will have the liquidity who will help. There'll be synchronising of takeout rates. There's all the different things that will be important in that journey, as well as the way we work with it, but that's the vision, yes.
Speaker 2Okay. We're chatting with Gillian McLaughlin, who joins us on the program, the CEO of Tabcorp. We see on Friday one pool, which will start appearing in your apps, on your screen, on the screens of Sky and the Tab app, and then on Saturday, it's going to be a huge. You probably can't reveal because marketing will blow up, but there's going to be some huge incentives for punters to play some exotics on the weekend, surely, isn't there?
Speaker 1Yeah, there will be. We're out running ahead of our marketing and product team. There'll be, you know, pay attention, Dave. We'll be, you know, if you like having a trifecta, I certainly know there's going to be something for you. Like quaddies, there's going to be something for you. Seating, jackpots, and it's the weekend to have a bet on that front, and I won't run ahead of the guys, but we, you know, I think, you know, if you wake up late in the week, you're going to see down sky, it'll look different. If you look about, if you want to have a quaddie on the Saturday, there's going to be an opportunity for you. If you want to have a trifecta, and if you want to just have a look, and we know that there'll be twings and roundabouts, but the majority of, we're very confident in the competitiveness across the board, thoroughbreds, dogs, harness, with the pricing, the product, with these deeper pools against the fixed odds.
Speaker 2Gil, what I love about you is that you are a punter yourself. You're one of us. Even though you, you know, are dealing with, you know, the top end of town and running in circles that sort of, you know, we can only dream of, the occasions that I've met you, you're quicker to get your tab out, tab app out, you know, than myself, Nathan, Adrian, and those others here that work at Sky. What have you learned about punters since taking over at Tabcorp that you didn't know about punters or being a punter before?
Speaker 1That's a great question, Dave. I usually only give 20 bucks to someone who does ask me a question I've never been asked before. I think, I think, I think the thing about punters is that they are clever. They like what they like. And that's not always the same. Some people, they're loyal. Some people want, like, jackpot style payoffs. Some people think, but, but they know, they know if people are having a go and they know, they know what they like. And we've got to be doing at Tabcorp just trying to do a better job of delivering what people like because they, they generally know what they want. But, but in the end, I think punters are the hard, they're all the same. They're all like you and me. It's conspiratorial with friends trying to plot a way to beat the bookmaker and have a win on a Saturday. And that's, and that's my experience with punting, Dave. It's, it's inclusive. It's doing all the work on a Saturday morning with friends, ringing around, trying to find, get an edge, find a winner and have the bet that you want and then checking in with mates all afternoon. And that's, that's the best of it.
Speaker 2Well, speaking of that, what are you most looking forward to? This spring? I know you're an avid follower and, and punter. Is there a particular horse? I know this is, this is a question without notice for you, but is, is there something you like to follow in one of these big races or, you know, have you got a particular stable that you like to follow or a jockey?
Speaker 1Um, I sort of like, um, following horses for a while and coming to see whether the ones you think are going to be really good and without putting the knock on, I thought a live another day was going to be, and he had his crack on, and he was going to be really good. So, um, I, I like, I think like we all do, I like, we like, we love stars. And if we can find one a bit earlier than the rest and follow them through, I really like that. Um, you know, Treasure of the moment was that, was that horse for a while and whether she's, you know, she, she's probably peaked on a run a bit at the moment, but I like, I like trying to find a horse ahead of earlier and that, that turns out to be a proper group one horse. And, you know, we've been looking through that. I've been following a live another day for a while. And that was sort of the one I've been following for a while. And that's, I like the, I like the horses deep down. I like, I like watching their journeys. They go through the grades. - Everest, Tab Everest, not
Speaker 2too far away. The company needs to make a decision. We've been asking. - Yes, we do. Yes, we do. - Well, it doesn't let, I know there's a, a, a, you know, a group of people that are involved with the selection process. So, um, can you tell us a little bit about that? process that probably throw their, you know, two cents in, ultimately be your name that signs the document uh yes jimmy star are you going to team up again with jimmy the thought you know you mentioned to live another day and it sounds like and i'm reading between the lines and i'm not trying to put words in your mouth but if he had of won on the weekend you might have gravitated that way with your love of the horse and in the journey that he's been on but now that jimmy's come out with those blinkers and blown them away is he a huge chance of being your tab
Speaker 1runner well he was he was with us last year as you know um and so we we know the owners and we know kieran in fact we've been with kieran um the first my two years here we won with bell nipatina in the first year um so he's obviously if he wanted to run in the everest he'd be a great horse to partner with there are others i've sort of we'll have views in here dave and then whatever the guys put to me but it's also of having arrangements with the owners so there's there's a there's a shortening list and it's a funny one this one because you start with any number of horses and then are you going to go with an emerging three-year-old or tried and true and you know maybe the only way you beat um carrying rising is running into a really wet track so i think i've seen all the papers and all the stuff um and and i think it's sort of the week to sort of land something now so i know that's a bit of a i've been a duck to you a little bit there but that's all right i think jimmy star is a great horse but the but you know you have to you have to have there's other horses and there's also other parties who have to be want to be want to run in the everest so we're just sort of chipping away if it was the
Speaker 2gil mclaughlin slot and not the tab slot it was just the the mclaughlin slot and it was you choosing and only you and not hamish and others like are we are we locking in jimmy star are you locking in
Speaker 1jimmy star uh well let me answer you i'll give you time i would have loved to live another day to win uh on the weekend yeah um um it's an interesting one i mean carrying rising if if you listen to david better than last year so you know a thesis is that we would hope for a wet track and then do you go with a wet track all right there's this is the whole this is like punting it's like it's there's theories and then there's whatever happens and maybe everyone's you know it's it's it's it's fun it's a it's a big deal everest and it's a credit to racing in south wales and and to peter and the graham hit and everyone's pulling together because it it's you know it's a lot of chat about it it's a build-up of the race with the race who you're going to choose so there's actually still a lot of good horses around and jimmy jimmy star he was incredibly impressive on the weekend but he's just one of them
Speaker 2i appreciate you joining us this morning i know you're going to be doing a lot of media this week as i said when i started but the people that listen to this program they are the people that will be there every saturday having a crack whether it be uh on one pool or whether it be via our fixed odds and i can't wait to see what's going to unfold friday and saturday thanks for joining us gil catch up with you soon thanks for having me david appreciate it there's gil mclaughlin the ceo of tab corp so one pool will be starting of friday adrian and uh then sky racing on saturday so i'm not sure if we will see the new graphics or the new style of sky on friday we may we may see at some point see it but i know that on saturday morning and i'll be live at on all in i'm told early in the morning st john's at st john's uh the bowling club and there will be not just uh that location we're going to have people all around the country at different parts i'll then also be at royal randwick in the afternoon at the punters challenge so it's going to be a big saturday but we live and breathe it and it will look and feel different and i think that's the most exciting thing and
Speaker 3bigger pools more stable dividends dave so and these jackpots sounds like we're going to have a big one for the quaddie on the weekend which is important we've got tab turnbull tab epson in sydney and trifectas and the exotic pools i think will be much bigger and as i said yeah more liquidity means more stable tote prices and hopefully we can drive people back to
Speaker 2the tote with one pool um one thing too that i uh take out from that just from an you know an excitement point of view the the fact that you know we you mentioned quaddie jackpots first fours trifectas all sorts of things but the fact that gill did say about the the lower takeout right now that has been a topic of discussion amongst a lot of punters about you know that the takeout rates are too high etc etc there's obviously uh going to be a lot of analysis of that yeah as a business and it sounds like that could effectively possibly change which is exciting it will take time it will take time the other thing as well which i'm excited about is that if they start using that takeout rate very similar to say a tab time now i know to be a different kettle of fish obviously with tab time you've got a restrictive bet size you've got etc etc but geez if they started going down the path of you know hitting a button and saying hey this race is not going to be any takeout rate you're going to see a lot of liquidity liquidity in that particular race and market and that would be fascinating to see so it sounds like they're going to be really looking at that and it's good that there is some flexibility around that because it's going to be a talking point they're obviously going to want to see figures analysis and and and whatnot but hey something's happening we're not just sitting on our hands doing nothing it's uh actually really exciting and the fact too uh just the last point before we take a break you know we have a situation where you know other sports as i've said have updated their graphics and done things here and there and here we have at sky that investment being made which not uh cheap by the way so i think that is uh fantastic right oh we'll take a break we will return shortly on the other side we're going to chat with stephen marsh john sergeant scott singleton and latoya james this is racing hq with dave stanley on sky sports radio and radio tab welcome back to the program this is racing hq right across the country whether you're listening here in sydney brisbane adelaide darwin maybe listening in hobart uh great to have you as well tuned in regionally uh right across the land well well written is lining up in the tab epsom on the weekend she's a superstar kiwi and like previous superstar kiwis before her she comes here with an inns and steve marsh is her trainer morning stephen good morning how are you i'm very very well how did she arrive to australia well written
Speaker 7look she uh she arrived late last night and arrived unbelievably well she um i couldn't believe it when she got off the float at randwick she look she left cambridge uh just after 4 p.m uh nz time and she got to randwick about quarter past 10 last night wandered off the truck and not even a sweat mark or anything on her she was perfect and just arrived and just settled in brilliantly so no i you couldn't pay to get her better
Speaker 2yeah do they usually when they travel have a bit of sweat or a bit of not anxiety but they're sort of you know looking around going where am i and and i guess when they do travel like this does it put an extra spring in your step
Speaker 7yeah well look uh it certainly does and there's just so much going on they get on a float at cambridge and they've got to get sort of around a busy airport and wandering around putting a crate then on a plane and you know the takeoff and landing's pretty uh you know when the thrusts and it's quite a fair bit on them uh and then you know they've got to get off and there's just so much to and froing for them uh they do get a chance to get upset but look as a as a weanling she actually flew from australia to new zealand and she had to fly to christchurch to win the thousand guineas so i guess the good thing is she's been on a couple of planes and probably getting a little bit used to it so it really helped the trip and oh certainly puts a uh puts a spring in your step when they're when they're that well in
Speaker 2themselves yeah and her win in the poise plate was obviously pretty special that was at ellerslie so she comes with plenty of that winning confidence as you'd expect the seven stars to seven wins she was taking on the older horses for the first time last start and what did you learn about her after that that win
Speaker 7yeah it's never easy you know four-year-old me is you know because as three-year-olds obviously we know they race in pretty protected company and then coming out against those older wait for age horses meeting them meeting them at level weights it's not not easy 1400 you know against uh you know alabama last really kicked hard and i just like the way she really put them away late uh who lasted 100 was the best part of it and i like her two runs at the mile when she won like a thousand guineas in a crack a mile she was devastating in those so i think where we've got her now um she's ideally placed at the mile especially with a good marble not the visitor's draw
Speaker 2yeah no she does have a fantastic barrier so where do you want to and i know you'll probably really sit down with zach and your form guys and and work it out but where do you think ideally she races best yeah position i think
Speaker 7with her you know you help her out of the gates um you know she'll be in a forward enough position and and then it'll be up to zach to see what the pressure of the race is like and hey look if she was sort of fourth to sixth something like that just just on the bridle nicely without uh chasing her along about getting her into a good rhythm and you know utilizing a good draw um and just having a good happy space and he knows just fine but you've got a long long straight up the rise so don't don't panic and i think just uh If he's got her in a comfortable spot travelling good, that's ideally what we want to see.
Speaker 2Do you feel like the 55, you were treated a bit harshly? Were you expecting less weight?
Speaker 7Yeah, well, look, I'm certainly not the handicapper and he's done his job, but I certainly didn't see us getting 55. My daughter's a bit tough and everyone I speak to tells me it's a bit tough. So, yeah, I mean, it's not ideal, but we can't do anything about it and we just hope on Saturday he's right.
Speaker 2And no Matt Cartwright to ride, so Zach Lloyd riding. That decision, was that purely for these next couple of runs leading into a Golden Eagle? Was it just you wanted the local knowledge?
Speaker 7Look, that's exactly what it is. Matt Cartwright's had seven rides on her and, to be honest, ridden her brilliant the whole way through. We just felt we wanted a local jockey that knows the tracks inside out. And, you know, he's a young gun, he's hungry, he's riding brilliant. So we just felt it was the right. You know, the right decision to make and he is going very well, Zach. He is a great young jockey. And, yeah, we certainly didn't take Matt off, but we just thought it was a better idea.
Speaker 2Where does she stack up? I'm sure you've been asked this stacks of times, but for our radio audience across the country, you've had some beauties too, Steve. Where does she rank?
Speaker 7Well, I think she's the most exciting horse we've had. And, potentially, you know, she is the best horse. She seems to. I don't know where her sort of level is as yet. Yeah, I think she's certainly the most exciting horse we've trained. And I just hope she can retain that unbeaten form line. It'll be lovely.
Speaker 2It would be nice. Now, before I let you go, the rest of your team, because we've got races, you know, popping up all the time here and we love a punt. Just like our Kiwi mates, we love a punt. Is there anything even away from well-written we should be keeping an eye on this week that we can have a flutter on?
Speaker 7Yeah, I think we've got the home track Cambridge today. I thought maybe one today, maybe Confectionist. She's unbeaten on the synthetic. She could probably win again. But I do like a horse from a wide gate on Saturday. First up for the. First time of asking for the stable next Australian horse. Hidden achievement. I thought here's a good chance. Saturday, matter, matter. Just a rating 75-1200. Drawn out a bit. We'll need a bit of luck, but cartwright, not a saddle. All right. I'm sure he can do the job for us.
Speaker 2Hidden achievement and Confectionist with McNabb on board today. That goes in 50 minutes, punters. Oh, here we go. Here we go. $3 currently. $3 for Confectionist. The written by mare who comes out of those last two wins with Michael McNabb on board. Gee, is it a lump job, Steve? Do we load up? Because Wednesday happy hour. Don't go too silly today.
Speaker 7Don't go too silly today, but I think we're going to have a good time. I think you're going to have a nice solid each way on Saturday.
Speaker 2Okay, perfect. Good luck with well-written. Obviously, she burst onto the scene. She has been really one of the pride of New Zealand, and I'm sure there'll be a lot of Kiwis hoping that she can get the chocolates, along with a lot of Australian punters as well on Saturday, mate. Good luck. No, beauty. Really appreciate it. Thanks, guys. Cheers, mate. There's Stephen Marsh.
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