Latest news with #FirstDay
Courier-Mail
5 days ago
- General
- Courier-Mail
Wagga, Taree previews: Southern Dancer eyes redemption
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Southern Dancer may only have one win to her name but trainer Gary Colvin is adamant her record should read much better. The three-year-old claimed a maiden win over 1175m at just her second start and has been placed in five of her next 11 starts. The latest of those placings was over 2050m at Wodonga 12 days ago when third to First Day when luck wasn't her friend. 'Southern Dancer is probably one of the unluckiest horses I've ever had,' said Colvin. 'She has had a lot of bad draws and no luck in a number of races. 'We went to Wodonga last start and she just got held up at a vital stage. 'With a 200m straight, it was too late when she got out but she hit the line full of running. 'Hopefully all the bad luck is behind her now.' The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here! The daughter of I Am Immortal steps out in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (2000m) which is a Heat of the Wagga Stayers Series with Blaike McDougall to again ride. 'Blaike rode her at Canberra a couple of starts back and said she will get over 2400m metres,' Colvin said. 'I'll just stick to the 2000 metres for now but I really like her. 'Back to a big track, I'm confident she will run really well.' In the same race, he also saddles up Kerma Art who is having his first go at the 2000m. 'He won a couple of races and is usually not too far away,' he said. 'He has been running up to a mile but he's a bit of a one-pacer so I thought I would try him over the 2000 metres and see what happens. 'He's no star but he should be thereabouts. Lightly-raced four-year-old Deflector has been very good in placing at her two runs this preparation and is a leading contender in the Maiden Plate (1300m). The daughter of Pride Of Dubai resumed with a third to Master Patrick in a Wagga Super Maiden over 1000m where she was held up early in the straight. She then finished a nose second to Sundrop over 1200m at Corowa 18 days later. 'She is coming along quite nicely and I expect her to go very well,' Colvin said. 'She is a typical Pride Of Dubai, taking a bit of time to mature but she is starting to it her straps now. She is getting better with every run. 'You like to see them continuing to come on and that is what she is doing.' Another maiden who is closing in on his first win is Doc March who contests the Maiden Plate (1600m). The son of Prized Icon was runner-up in consecutive starts at Wagga before a fourth to Chilly Charlie at Canberra on May 9. 'He just got back and could make up the ground to win in a couple of races here at Wagga,' Colvin said. 'I knew he wanted a bit of ground but he is on his way and going pretty well. 'He has had about a month since his last run but he is ticking over very well.' Joining him in this race is Astern Torch who is coming off a third to Track And Field on the Wagga Riverside 12 days ago. 'He has been a very frustrating horse. He showed me ability early on but is a bit of a one-pacer,' he said 'He keeps doing enough to convince me to persevere with him.' Meanwhile, Colvin said he is pleased with stable star Another One who resumes from a long spell at Randwick on Saturday. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Trainer Lyndall Olson is hoping home track advantage can offset her queries as Gold Card and Zaru strive for success in one of the day's features. Gold Card and Zaru line up in the Corey Brown Cup at Taree just two weeks after the track was flooded. The heavy ground is just one query Olson has for the pair who appreciate soft tracks at this stage of their careers. 'As they have gotten older, they have shown they prefer soft tracks rather than the heavy,' Olson said. Gold Card kicked off his latest campaign with a win in the Hannam Cup over 1007m at Taree on March 17 before a five week gap into his next start when a three length seventh to Cassiel at Canterbury. He steps up to 1250m in the Benchmark 82 race where he is a perfect four from four over the track and distance. 'It was a nice win over the 1000 metres then we went to Canterbury and he wasn't disgraced at all,' said Olson. 'I'm just a bit worried about the time he has had between runs. 'It's been just over six weeks between since his last race. Whether he needs the run or not. 'We have taken the three kilos off with Leanne Boyd aboard but he well and I expect him to run a nice race.' Zaru finished down the track when resuming under 61kg at Taree on May 13 but Olson isn't reading too much into that performance. 'It was hard to make ground from back in the field with his weight and also the 1000 metres was too short for him,' she said. 'We just had to find a race for him to kick off in. 'As he has gotten older, he is a become wiser and he doesn't like the heavy going any more. 'We've got Aaron Bullock back on and he does seem to have a way with him. 'Like Gold Card, he loves his home track.' Olson has no qualms about the track rating for Gold Melody after she scored a stylish win over 1250m on a Heavy 10 at home on May 13. The four-year-old is a strong chance again in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (1300m). 'She did really well to win last start. It was a nice ride from Anna (Roper),' she said. 'She has trained on really well and I think she is a good chance again from barrier one.'
Time of India
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Unni Mukundan surprises fans at FDFS of Mohanlal-Shobana's ‘Thudarum'
(Picture Courtesy: Facebook) Mohanlal and Shobana 's highly anticipated Malayalam film ' Thudarum ' finally hit the big screens. Unni Mukundan watches FDFS Fans lined up early in the morning for the coveted First Day, First Show (FDFS), turning the screening into a festive occasion. Amidst the cheer and excitement, actor Unni Mukundan's surprise presence at one of the theatres added to the thrill of the event. Thudarum - Official Teaser Unni Mukundan arrived at a popular multiplex to show his support for 'Thudarum', joining fans to experience the film's opening moments live. A photo of Unni Mukundan posing for selfies with enthusiastic fans is now making the rounds on social media. Netizens react Netizens are showering love for Unni Mukundan as one comment read, 'Fan boy is here.' Another comment read, 'Unni Mukundan is the biggest fan boy of Lalettan.' Another Tweet read, 'Love you Unni.' Unni Mukundan has teamed up with Mohanlal for several films including 'Janatha Garage', '12th Man', 'Bro Daddy'. Earlier, during Mohanlal's birthday, the 'Marco' actor shared an Instagram note that read, 'Happy Birthday Lalettan! And congratulations on the success of #12thMan ! It was an honour to perform and share screen with you. An a matter of absolute pride to see you perform up close. I realised how important it is for an actor to be surrounded and supported by even better actors. Thank u for the opportunity. You showed me How not to let SuperStardom get into my head. An undisputed SuperStar of your nature displayed the attitude, innocence and obedience of a newcomer on the sets. Thank you the staying awake and wishing me on my bday. That moment and gesture will stay with me forever. Thank you for making every person on the sets feel like you are his/her best friend. Thank you for the laughters. Thank you for the good times. Thank you for the memories. Just in case you feel there's more to achieve in this lifetime, I wish you attain utmost supremacy to that, for none, deserves it Like you do. Eagerly waiting to witness the directorial debut. Good luck, etta ! L for Lal, L for love @mohanlal' 'Thudarum', directed by Operation Java filmmaker Tharun Moorthy, marks a powerful collaboration with screenwriter K. R. Sunil. The film features a stellar ensemble with Mohanlal and Shobana reuniting after years, delivering performances that fans had been eagerly waiting for. Best Hindi Movies | Best Tamil Movies | Best Telugu Movies | Best english Movies | Best Malayalam Movies |
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED): A Bull Case Theory
We came across a bullish thesis on Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED) on Substack by Catapult Capital. In this article, we will summarize the bulls' thesis on BNED. Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED)'s share was trading at $9.73 as of March 17th. An aerial view of a well-stocked bookstore, with customers browsing inside. Barnes & Noble Education (BNED) is the independent university bookstore division of Barnes & Noble, spun off in 2015. Initially seen as a more stable business compared to mainstream retail, BNED operates 1,164 bookstores across the U.S., with 649 physical and 515 virtual locations. The company primarily sells branded merchandise and textbooks and has historically faced headwinds from e-commerce competition, digitalization, and piracy. The textbook retail market has shifted toward an oligopoly, with BNED controlling about 30%, its main competitor Follett also holding 30%, and the remaining share split between self-managed stores and smaller operators. Over time, self-managed bookstores have ceded share to BNED and Follett, consolidating the industry further. Despite expectations of resilience, BNED's performance post-IPO has been disastrous. Amazon and other e-commerce players have aggressively encroached on BNED's core textbook sales, while digitalization has enabled publishers to sell directly to students, bypassing bookstores. Rampant piracy has further eroded the market, impacting both BNED and textbook publishers. However, salvation has come in the form of "Equitable Access" (EA) programs, designed to address affordability concerns for lower-income students. These programs shift textbook purchasing to an opt-out model, bundling textbook fees with tuition and dramatically increasing sell-through rates—from roughly 35% under the old model to nearly 80% at campuses adopting EA. Universities benefit from higher textbook sales, students receive materials at a discount, and publishers see stronger profitability despite offering price reductions. This shift mirrors the transition of the music industry to subscription-based streaming, where higher volume offsets lower per-unit revenue. BNED launched its own EA programs—First Day (FD) and First Day Complete (FDC)—in 2021. The rollout has been highly successful, with 16.4% of its covered campuses now enrolled in FDC. While overall revenue has remained stable due to the cannibalization of traditional textbook sales and store closures, margins have surged, transforming BNED's financial outlook. The company has shifted from breakeven EBITDA in FY23 to posting 4.7% trailing-12-month EBITDA margins, a testament to the program's impact. At this point, the key question is not whether FDC will succeed, but how much market penetration BNED can achieve—20%, 30%, or even 70%? The company faced a major overhang in early 2024 when the Biden administration's Department of Education (DOE) launched an investigation into the opt-out nature of EA programs, questioning whether students were overpaying. At the same time, BNED was highly leveraged due to industry headwinds and failed acquisitions, with significant debt maturing in mid-2024. The DOE probe created uncertainty, making lenders hesitant to refinance. BNED was forced into a dilutive rights offering, sold a large stake at a discount to Immersion Corp (IMMR), and converted second-lien debt from Fanatics and VitalSource into equity. As a result, IMMR became the de facto controlling shareholder, with an initial 40% stake that has since been reduced to 32% through additional share issuances aimed at further deleveraging. In December 2024, the DOE investigation concluded without action, as universities defended the benefits of EA programs. With this regulatory risk resolved, BNED now finds itself at the early stages of an FDC rollout that is fundamentally reshaping its profitability. The leverage issue is in the past, the company is generating strong cash flow, and its competitive position is solid in an oligopolistic market. Valuation remains the key opportunity. Despite these fundamental improvements, BNED trades at just ~5x EV/EBITDA on trailing numbers. However, as FDC penetration continues rising, profitability is set to increase further. If we assign a modest 14x multiple on forward unlevered earnings, factoring in conservative EBITDA growth and normalized capex, the stock could be valued at $23.3. The current setup presents a compelling opportunity—BNED is a transformed business, in a resilient market, with its largest regulatory overhang resolved. As the market fully realizes the implications of BNED's shift to EA programs, the stock has significant upside potential. Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED) is not on our list of the 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 17 hedge fund portfolios held BNED at the end of the fourth quarter which was 6 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the risk and potential of BNED as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than BNED but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock. Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey.
