R91 Sports and Recreation Activities

Punt on special horse pays big dividends

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Original article by Brad Waters
The Australian – Page: 27 : 5-Nov-25

Half Yours has become only the 13th horse to win the Melbourne Cup and Caulfield Cup in the same year. Jamie Melham in turn is now the only female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup-Caulfield Cup double, and just the second female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup. Half Yours was bought for $305,000 on the Inglis Digital Sale platform in 2024, and the owners of the five-year-old gelding have picked up $7.5m for winning the two prestigious races. Half Yours was trained by father-and-son team Tony and Calvin McEvoy; the former says Half Yours is a "very special horse". Half Yours won the Melbourne Cup by two lengths, ahead of Goodie Two Shoes and Middle Earth.

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Secret of Piastri’s $41m-a year success – pasta

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Original article by Patrick Durkin
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 14-Mar-25

Melbourne-born Formula 1 driver Oscar Piastri is expected to make his debut in the Young Rich List this year, in part due to a new contract he has just signed with McLaren. The contract will keep Piastri at McLaren until at least 2028, and is understood to be worth round Stg20 million ($41 million) a year, while Piastri contends the secret to his success is to stick to a set routine before every race. The Australian Grand Prix will be held at Melbourne’s Albert Park track this Sunday, with a record crowd of more 450,000 expected to attend the track over the weekend, with fans of Piastri hoping he can become the first Australian to win the race.

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Australia’s golden Games: pinnacle or new base for nation punching above its weight?

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Original article by Kieran Pender
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 13-Aug-24

Australia won a record 18 gold medals at the Paris Olympic Games, and the nation’s overall medal tally of 53 was topped only by the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Meanwhile, Australia ranked fourth on the Paris medal table, matching the Olympic team’s performance in Melbourne in 1956. Australia has also traditionally performed best at home Olympic Games, with Brisbane set to host the world’s biggest sporting event in 2032. An analysis of Summer Olympics results from 1952 to 2012 shows that on average, the host nation has increased their gold medal count by 10 and their overall medal count by 20. The federal government has already increased its Olympic funding ahead of the Brisbane Games.

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‘Not what the Olympics is about’: Sport integrity chief laments doping cloud over Paris 2024

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Original article by Chip Le Grand
The Age – Page: Online : 23-Jul-24

Sport Integrity Australia boss David Sharpe says the interim findings of a review commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency into a number of drug tests failed by Chinese swimmers has not answered questions that Sport Integrity Australia is seeking answers to. Questioning why the swimmers in question were allowed to still compete while their cases were being determined, Sharpe says it is very disappointing that the 2024 Olympic Games are about to start in Paris with a ‘doping cloud’ hanging over them; he says "that is not what the Olympics is about"

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SPORTS INTEGRITY AUSTRALIA

Winx foal world’s priciest filly

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Original article by Zoe Samios
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 9-Apr-24

Bidding for the first foal of champion racehorse Winx began at $2 million at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale on Monday, with the filly going on to fetch $10 million. It was the highest price paid ever for a filly anywhere in the world, as well as the most expensive yearling in the southern hemisphere. Sired by champion stallion Pierro, she was bought by Woppitt Bloodstock, the family racing business of Winx part-owner Debbie Kepitis. Kepitis said the filly, who has been nicknamed ‘Winny", would be prepared by Winx’s trainer Chris Waller if she raced.

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INGLIS (SALES) PTY LTD

Corporate fans boost ticket sales for Open

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Original article by Ayesha de Kretser
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 10-Jan-24

The organisers of the Australian Open are hoping for another record attendance at the first grand slam tournament of the year, after the 2023 event attracted a total crowd of 839,192. Tennis Australia’s chief commercial officer Cedric Cornelis says that ticket sales to date have been significantly stronger than in 2023. Meanwhile, Corporate Traveller’s MD Tom Walley notes a post-pandemic trend for business travellers to combine their trip with leisure activities such as attending sports events, in order to justify the cost of travel. The company expects the number of business travellers attending the Australian Open to be 21 per cent higher than in 2023.

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AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS, TENNIS AUSTRALIA, CORPORATE TRAVELLER

Lachie Neale claims second Brownlow Medal after stunning count

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Original article by Jon Pierik
Brisbane Times – Page: Online : 26-Sep-23

Brisbane Lions co-captain Lachie Neale has won his second Brownlow Medal, becoming the 16th player to have claimed multiple medals. Neale won this year’s medal with 31 votes, finishing ahead of Marcus Bontempelli (29 votes) and Nick Daicos (28). Neale finished the night with seven best on ground votes, while he said "I am pretty rattled to be honest, I didn’t expect this", when asked to comment on his win. The award for mark of the year went to GWS player Harry Himmelberg, while Brisbane player Will Ashcroft won goal of the year and the Jim Stynes Community Award went to Sam Docherty from Carlton.

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Major sporting codes to back Voice to parliament

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Original article by James Massola, Jake Niall, Paul Sakkar
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 28-Feb-23

Cricket Australia, the AFL and the NRL are among seven major sporting codes that are expected to unite in a joint campaign to support an Indigenous Voice to parliament. It is expected that the campaign will be launched mid-year, while it is understood that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was personally involved in trying to get the codes to support the Voice. Resolve pollster Jim Reed says getting the support of the seven codes will be a positive for the ‘Yes’ campaign.

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CRICKET AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Australian Open boss Craig Tiley slams calls to move tournament date

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Original article by
abc.net.au – Page: Online : 10-Jan-23

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley has attacked a recent media article that called for the event to be moved to another date, but he does agree that the tennis season should be reduced in length. There are regular calls for the Australian Open to be shifted to another date, due to the heat of Australia’s summer and to give players more time to prepare after their short off-season. Tiley has also confirmed players will no longer be required to report positive COVID-19 tests but will be encouraged to stay away if sick, while he is confident that Australian Open spectators will welcome back Novak Djokovic after he missed the 2022 event as a result of being deported in the wake of his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

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Roger Federer to retire from tennis after Laver Cup

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Original article by Shrivathsa Sridhar
The Age – Page: Online : 16-Sep-22

Regarded by many as the best tennis player ever, Roger Federer has announced he will retire after the Laver Cup, which will be held in London in the week beginning 19 September. The 41-year old Swiss will end his career with 20 Grand Slam titles, including eight Wimbledon titles and six Australian Open crowns, while he holds the record for 237 consecutive weeks as world No. 1. Former women’s No.1 Billie Jean King described Federer as "champion’s champion", while Rafa Nadal, his long-time friend and rival, said "I wish this day would have never come".

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