Return To Conquer's race plans delayed until next year after Aussie setback
The Group 1 winner, who was unbeaten in four starts here, has been sidelined with a slight issue after his first Australian appearance in a jump out at Cranbourne two weeks ago.
Trainer Mark Walker, who is mostly
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Newsroom
21 hours ago
- Newsroom
The razzmatazz of a bullseye sport
When Australian darts champion Damon Heta aka The Heat does his 'walk-on' to the oche for tonight's New Zealand Darts Masters title in Auckland, he'll be rarking up the fans to a different tune. The Perth-based world number 10 will be tapping into his kiwi roots when he walks on to The Exponents' smash hit Why Does Love Do This To Me. The walk-on theme music is a vital part of the razzmatazz of the World Series of Darts tour and Heta, with his trademark handlebar moustache, is famous for his whacky dancing and headdress of flames. He loves the crowds and the crowds love him. Damon Heta, The Heat (R) and Ben Robb aka Big Rig. Photo: Supplied Usually on the world tour, Heta gets the fans chanting to Bruce Springsteen's Dancing in the Dark, but this weekend he hopes he can win over the famously boisterous crowd with a tried and true Kiwi crowd pleaser. 'It's the rugby one, isn't it, that everyone sings to,' says Heta, who is proud of his local connections. 'It's crazy. Today I'm going to meet some family that I've never met before.' Heta hopes the Auckland fans will be on his side as he vies for the championship against the world's best, including teen sensation Luke Littler. He's beaten 'the young punk' once and reckons he can put him back in his place again. 'It's like he doesn't have a care in the world, like most teenagers, you know what I mean,' he jokes. 'No, fair play to him, he's brought the sport along in leaps and bounds … so yeah, it's getting good knowledge and expanding the game.' Darts legends, commentator John McDonald and referee Russ Bray tell The Detail how they've watched it go from a boozy pub game to a global event . 'I go to Mongolia and do darts in Mongolia,' says Bray. 'The change is massive.' 'It's grown beyond anyone's comprehension now,' says McDonald. 'It's a major sport, second to only the Premier League Football in the United Kingdom, with television ratings that most sports would be envious of. 'So it's grown into this enormous global brand and a very, very exciting night out.' Heta says when he played his first darts match in a pub at the age of 15, he had no idea that he could make big money from it. 'It wasn't until the big boys came over and then finding out that I could compete and from then on I just went on and on and did all the protocols that you need to do to become professional and sure enough I'm back here and I'm one of the big dogs,' he says. New Zealand amateur favourite Ben Robb, aka Big Rig, says the game has developed in the years since he first played in a pub. Top level darts now attracts all ages and women, and the money is so 'grand' there is a professional mindset. Robb reckons mental strength makes the difference at competitions. 'Once everyone learns how to throw a dart it's about being composed, handling big moments, owning the stage and being the big guy. ' Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here. You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Living life to the fullest after transplant
Golfer Natalie Brown is heading to the World Transplant Games in Dresden, Germany. PHOTO: GERARD O'BRIEN Natalie Brown never takes for granted her second chance at life. Thirty-one years ago she received a life-changing kidney transplant when her brother, Alan Penny, stepped up as her donor. That is far higher than the average life expectancy for recipients — "I like to advertise that fact, so that it gives people a lot of hope" — and had made her passionate to advocate for others. "I feel fortunate to be honest, because I think people that don't go through that process don't appreciate good health and don't appreciate every day what they can do," she said. "Every day's been a bonus and I've done the most amazing things. Life's been fabulous." That includes returning to the World Transplant Games in Dresden, Germany, next week, where she will pick up the golf clubs. The Games, which are held every two years, are for transplant recipients, donors and donor families to compete across a range of sports. Since her transplant, Ms Brown — who is the only golfer in the 11-strong New Zealand team — always wanted to compete at the Games and was lucky enough to play alongside her brother at the Games in Perth, where he lives, in 2023. After winning gold in the singles and bronze in the pairs two years ago, she will compete in the singles in Dresden and is looking forward to being surrounded be like-minded people on the course again. Knowing how a transplant can transform someone's life has made Ms Brown a passionate advocate. She is involved with the Otago Kidney Society, the Australasian Kidney Trials Network, the Australian and New Zealand data registry and the George Institute for Global Health. "It is a second chance at life. When I got diagnosed, and had to go on dialysis, I went '50 years ago, I'd be dead'. "At the moment there's huge statistics ... if early detection comes along then you can stop kidney disease. "There's a big push ... to get people that have got like high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, to go and get checked." She considered herself lucky to have a "fantastic" renal team in Dunedin, including Prof Rob Walker.
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Injunction ‘last lifeline' for racing
File photo: Stephen Jaquiery A High Court interim injunction is the "last lifeline" left for the greyhound racing industry, a former trainer says. Greyhound Racing New Zealand is seeking the injunction to stop the government's plan to end greyhound racing in New Zealand. The hearing will be held in Wellington tomorrow. In December last year, Racing Minister Winston Peters announced the government's 20-month plan to wind down the industry to enable the re-homing of racing dogs and to provide a transition period for people involved in the industry. The first race of what could be New Zealand's last season took place last Wednesday. There are six trainers in Southland and Otago and about 40 greyhounds, but not all the dogs race. Southland Greyhound Racing secretary-manager Bronwyn Eade said an interim injunction could buy the industry some time. If the injunction was successful it would stop the process of closing down the industry until a court hearing could be held. "There's a little bit of hope." It would also allow racing to continue beyond July next year when it was scheduled to stop which would extend the time trainers and owners could earn an income, Mrs Eade said. When there was no more racing the owners would be left with the dogs. "The government has said there won't be any compensation for the greyhound owners and trainers." Throughout the country there were about 1500 dogs that would need to be re-homed, Mrs Eade said. Every year about 670 dogs were re-homed at a cost of more than $8 million to Greyhound New Zealand. "You take the racing away, how is that going to be funded?" While the prospect of the sport ending was sad, people were more angry than anything else, she said. Animal welfare was the reason given but the industry had made big improvements in the past eight years, Mrs Eade said. It was hard to know why the government had decided the dogs were not well looked after when the opposite was true, she said. What she found even more puzzling was why the government would continue to allow New Zealanders to bet on Australian greyhound races, which equated to about $48m gross revenue coming into the economy. "There's a double standard and its hypocritical." She said the Australian dogs were not better cared for because New Zealand dogs were the most regulated greyhounds she knew of anywhere in the world. To add insult to injury, the government planned to requisition $15m of Greyhound New Zealand's money. To take money from an incorporated society the government had to prove there was financial misconduct, insolvency or failure to submit returns, she said. As there was no evidence of this the government would need to "fabricate a new law" to allow the money to be taken, Mrs Eade said.
