Latest news with #Begg
News.com.au
a day ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Grahame Begg mare Splash Back returns for Flemington Group 3 test in Aurie's Star Handicap
Splash Back has delighted trainer Grahame Begg going into the Group 3 Aurie's Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday. The reinvented lightly-raced five-year-old mare, now being trained particularly for speed, has won three of four starts since she joined the Begg yard. Splash Back scored arguably the win of the winter season with a barnstorming result at Flemington last start, charging from an impossible position to win a 1400m Benchmark 90. Begg has freshened up the mare for an early spring campaign, starting in the Aurie's Star – her first look down the straight. 'We're delighted the way she's prepped up,' Begg said. 'Certainly going up a grade (to Group 3) and she hasn't been up the straight before but we're very happy with the way she's going.' Apprentice jockey Tom Prebble retained the ride on Splash Back after back-to-back wins at Caulfield and Flemington. Prebble has maintained an association with the mare in recent work outs including a jumpout. 'He hasn't done anything wrong on her so you got to reward him,' Begg said. 'He's come and done the hard yards, ridden her around in between time … and he can ride 54kg.' SPLASH BACK FROM THE CLOUDS 🤯 🤯 She might be pretty good! Splash Back comes from nowhere to the delight of the punters, giving Tom Prebble a race to race double! @Grahame_Begg — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) June 21, 2025 Splash Back, formerly trained by Andrew Bobbin, opened her account for Begg with a win last year then finished midfield in a 1400m Group 3 at Flemington. The rising six-year-old has thrived in her second preparation with a focus on sharper workouts. 'We got a bit of a handle on her now, changed a few things up as far as the training goes,' Begg said. 'Training her to run over shorter distances … I feel she's more dynamic around the 1400m mark.' • Bigger, stronger' My Gladiola primed for spring Begg flexed spring muscle at the Caulfield jumpouts on Wednesday, with Group 1 winner Magic Time, emerging top class mare Niance and progressive King Zephyr stretching their legs in respective 800m hitouts. Begg welcomed the opportunity to gallop on the grass with turf tracks unavailable at Cranbourne of late due to recent wet weather. 'We've been hamstrung as far as facilities to gallop on grass the last couple of weeks,' Begg said. 'It's very good of the MRC to come to the party and put jumpouts on for the better class horses.' Caulfield Jump Out 1 | Mornington Glory Last year's Moir Stakes champ was in full flight this morning, proving too slick for the likes of Stretan Angel, Desert Lightning & Magic Time ðŸ'¥ REPLAYS: — (@Racing) July 29, 2025 Magic Time will resume in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 30 before the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) on September 18. Magic Time won the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes in 2023. Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) on September 6 at The Valley. Begg has enjoyed a stellar season with 67 Victorian winners at a staggering state-best 27.5 per cent strike rate. The tally includes 33 city triumphs at 26.5 per cent winners to runners. 'One thing you can't eat is stats,' Begg laughed. 'You just got to keep on getting results. We try to place (our horses) where they can win, put them in the right scenario (race, track and conditions). 'Always need luck, whatever you do, but the number one thing is trying to put the horses in the right scenario.'
New York Post
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Influencer slammed over Japan travel post: ‘The song isn't even in Japanese'
An Australian influencer has been criticized online and accused of 'cultural appropriation' by some followers over her song choice and an outfit she wore in a social media post sharing photos from her current holiday in Japan. Sophia Begg, who goes by the name Sopha Dopha online and has more than 1.4 million followers, shared a carousel of photos from the first day of her trip in Tokyo on Instagram. However, the 21-year-old accompanied her 'photo dump' with a song in Mandarin by Chinese rapper SKAI ISYOURGOD called Blueprint Supreme. 'Day one: Tokyo,' Begg captioned the post, which included photos of her friends eating ramen, drinking matcha, shopping, and posing next to a vending machine and on trains. Some of her followers immediately noticed her choice of song. 3 Sophia Begg was criticized for using a song by a Chinese rapper in her post about Japan. @sophadophaa_/Instagram 'Girl I love you but please, the song isn't even in Japanese,' said one user, whose comment received over 100 likes. 'I fear this song is Chinese,' another bluntly pointed out. Others called her out for not only choosing a Mandarin song but also wearing a T-shirt with the Japanese word 'Suki' on it, meaning 'like' or 'love'. One user thought she was using 'culture for aesthetic' without actually understanding it. Another woman, who is Asian, said she also took issue with Begg wearing a shirt with Japanese characters on it. 3 Begg's 'photo dump' featured images from her first day in Tokyo. @sophadophaa_/Instagram 3 Some followers took issue with the influencer's outfit. @sophadophaa_/Instagram However, some defended her outfit and song choice saying the shirt 'looked good' and she was 'embracing the culture'. Someone else argued, 'I highly doubt she did it with malicious intent.' 'I don't understand why people can't appreciate other people's culture, even aesthetically,' asked a different user. Communications strategist Kriti Gupta, a South Asian woman, said that using a country's culture to be 'visually appealing' is an issue. 'Culture isn't a choice,' she explains. And even if the outfit and song choice was a 'misunderstanding,' – Ms Gupta reminds influencers to think carefully about their content before posting, as she says impact is more important than intent. Begg is yet to comment on the backlash online. has reached out to her for comment.
Perth Now
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
‘Giving racism': Internet unleashes on Aussie's Japan post
An Australian influencer and business owner has been grilled amid claims of cultural appropriation during her holiday to Japan. The internet unleashed at All For Mimi founder Sophia Begg, known online as Sopha Dopha, after she posted a series of photos capturing her first day in Tokyo to her Instagram. Begg can be seen posing against a vending machine sporting a polka dot bandana, bright pink shorts and a baggy white t-shirt branded with Japanese characters 'Suki' which translates to 'like' or 'love.' Subsequent photos show Begg and her two friends, including employee Bailey, indulging in matcha and ramen while exploring the city. The 21-year old's post also featured Chinese rapper SKAI ISYOURGOD's song Blueprint Supreme playing over the top. With a following of more than 660,000 on the platform, critics were quick to unload on the TikTok star. Sophia Begg in Tokyo, Japan. Credit: Instagram @sophadophaa_ 'This honestly reflects white privilege on another level… being able to pick and choose parts of someone else's culture for aesthetic without needing to understand or respect it. Meanwhile, we as Asians grow up being shamed or mocked for these same things. It's not just a song or a vibe, it's a lived culture, and treating it like a trend is harmful,' one person wrote. 'Look good but it's giving racism,' said another. A third added: 'The casual racism is sending me LMAO.' Many of the people unhappy with Begg's upload took issue with the song choice given it is in Mandarin and is not by a Japanese musician. 'Girl I love you but please the song isn't even in Japanese,' 'You should change the song or remove it. its not even Japanese,' Despite calls for the influencer to remove the audio from the post, Begg has not taken it down or responded to the negative comments.
Global News
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Global News
B.C. quadruples size of hate crimes team as incidents surge by 23%
The British Columbia government is quadrupling the size of the province's hate crimes policing unit, amid surging reports of incidents motivated by race, religion and sexual orientation. Public Safety Minister Gary Begg announced the expansion Friday, which will take the unit, which is a part of the B.C. RCMP, from two officers to a team of eight. 2:16 Speech at Vancouver pro-Palestine protest investigated as hate crime The province is providing $734,000 in new funding, which will be used to hire five new RCMP officers and one intelligence analyst. Story continues below advertisement 'We cannot ignore the reality that acts of hate have been on the rise in recent years,' Public Safety Minister Gary Begg said. 'Over the past year alone, we have seen reprehensible acts of violence here in our province. Places of worship have been vandalized, treaty offices have been defaced, and innocent people have been targeted while going about their daily activities.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy According to provincial data, police-reported hate crimes in B.C. surged by nearly a quarter (23 per cent) between 2022 and 2023. Hate crimes motivated by race or ethnicity were up by 12 per cent, while incidents linked to religion spiked by over 50 per cent and incidents related to sexual orientation were up 43 per cent. 1:39 B.C. updates hate crime policies 'Hate has no place in British Columbia. It only deepens fear, it creates division, erodes public safety, and stands in direct opposition to everything we value and believe in,' Begg said. Story continues below advertisement 'As community leaders, we have a responsibility to protect those who are targeted simply because of who they are.' Begg said the new funding will help ensure prosecutors have the necessary evidence to win convictions on hate crimes charges, and bolster court proceedings by providing expert testimony and support for witnesses and victims. The B.C. Hate Crimes Team is the only RCMP provincial hate crime team in Canada. Chief Supt. Elija Rain, Officer in Charge of the B.C. RCMP Major Crimes Section said the unit has been facing a growing workload. 6:11 Vancouver police say Israel-Hamas war has fuelled rise in hate crime He said the team is currently reviewing more than 100 files per week where hate could be a motivating factor, and provide guidance and oversight to both RCMP and municipal police forces. Story continues below advertisement 'Whether it is hate-motivated crime, hate propaganda or non-criminal but deeply harmful incidents involving hate or bias, we recognize the impact these incidents have on victims and communities. We also recognize the importance of investigating hate-related files,' he said. 'The B.C. Hate Crime Team provides operational support and expertise to all policing agencies across the province, which means the positive impacts of expanding this team will be felt in every region of British Columbia.' Along with the expanded hate crime team, the province says it has received $4 million from the federal government through the Shift B.C. program, which works to prevent radicalized violence by supporting people at risk.
Sky News AU
02-07-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
Albanese government misses every target of National Housing Accord, falling more than 55,000 homes short in first year
The Albanese government has failed to meet a single target in the first year of its flagship National Housing Accord, falling more than 55,000 homes short of its annual goal. New figures from the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) reveal the worsening housing crisis amid construction delays and exacerbated supply issues due to immigration. The housing policy, which began in July 2024, aimed to deliver 1.2 million new homes by 2029— or 20,000 homes per month—to improve housing availability and affordability. Analysis by the IPA found that just 185,000 homes have been completed since the accord began, leaving the government over 55,000 dwellings behind schedule. The government's target included 55,000 social and affordable homes, of which just 2,600 were completed in 2024. 'The federal government's National Housing Accord is one year old and already tens of thousands of homes behind target,' Director of Research at the IPA Morgan Begg said. 'In its first year of operation, the National Housing Accord as failed to hit a single target. 'At the same time the federal government is bringing in 1.3 million new migrants over three years, Australia is being set up for a disaster.' The latest forecast from the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council projected the government will fall 250,000 homes short of its target by 2029. Meanwhile, bureaucratic red tape has strangled the number of new homes being built as the time taken to build a new dwelling continues to grow. According to findings based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data, it takes 50 per cent longer to build a house in 2025 compared to a decade ago. 'There is unprecedented demand for new homes. Yet it is taking far longer to build them, and it costs significantly more to do so,' Mr Begg said. The IPA also pointed to the contradiction between falling construction rates and rising net migration, with about 1 million migrants set to come in by 2029. The federal budget papers have forecast net overseas migration of 260,000 in 2025-26 and then 225,000 in the subsequent three years. 'There is no plan on how to house new arrivals … This is a manufactured housing disaster,' Mr Begg said. The damning findings follow similar warnings from the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council (NHSAC). In its State of the Housing System 2025 report, the council projected that only 938,000 homes would be built by June 2029—over 250,000 homes short of the federal target. It noted that no state or territory was on track to meet its share of the target, based on population. ABS figures show just 177,000 dwellings were completed in 2024—well below the estimated underlying demand of 223,000. The Albanese government increased total housing commitments to $33 billion in the 2025 federal budget, including the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund. Housing Minister Clare O'Neil has defended her approach, arguing 'it takes time to turn the tide on a housing crisis a generation in the making'. The Property Council of Australia (PCA) has since called on governments to redouble efforts to boost housing supply productivity. 'We're projected to be 262,000 homes behind the 2029 target but imagine the gap without these reforms,' PCA Chief Executive Mike Zorbas said in a statement. 'We … desperately need to address falls in productivity that mean we're building fewer than half as many homes per hours worked today than in the mid-1990s. 'We need to move from 170,000 homes a year into the high 200,000s to meet the Accord's target. 'That requires bold leadership to dissolve assessment and approval gridlock in key corridors.'
