Latest news with #NZ1
Courier-Mail
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Courier-Mail
Leap To Fame closes in on Australasian prizemoney record
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. The champ is back. Leap To Fame launches a campaign which could see him become Australasia's all-time richest pacer when he steps out at Albion Park on Saturday night. It will be one at least two lead-up runs before the Ladbrokes Inter Dominion starts at Albion Park on July 5. Leap To Fame, who boasts 50 wins and over $4 million in prize money, hasn't started since one of the best wins in his career in the $NZ1 million Race by betcha at Cambridge on April 4. The six-year-old worked so well last Saturday, co-trainers Grant and Trista Dixon opted to take him straight back to the races without a trial. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'Gee he worked well,' Grant Dixon said. 'The trials up here are only over a mile and you end up running terrific time in them, so we felt we might as well just take him straight to the races. 'We're really happy with him. By racing this week, it also gives us a bit of time in case another race or two don't stand-up between now and the Inter Dominion.' Dixon was thrilled with how well Leap To Fame handled his first trip to NZ for the big Cambridge win. 'He thrived and came home in great order. It didn't take much at all out of him and he obviously raced so well over there,' he said. 'He's carrying a bit of weight we'll need to get off him before the Inter Dominion, but we've got time on our side.' Leap To Fame has won his past 16 starts at Albion Park with the last defeat way back on November 4, 2023. He started from an awkward inside draw that night and never saw daylight before finishing fourth. Dixon pointed to a similarly awkward draw as the biggest challenge this week. 'You wouldn't believe he's drawn inside the back row again. I've never seen a horse get these awkward draws more than him,' he said. 'It makes it tricky. There's a few nice horses in this race and you can't afford to snag back at the start or you'll be giving away a huge start when they're running super times up front. We're going to need some luck.' Leap To Fame, who won the 2023 Inter Dominion and missed last year's series with a health issue, is a $1.50 prepost favourite for this year's $1 million final on July 19. Dixon will also have recent stable addition Captain Hammerhead, who beat the great stayer Swayzee in the Albury Cup earlier this year, step-out at Albion Park on Saturday night. 'His trial for us was OK, but we're still getting to know him,' he said. 'We'll know a lot more after this race and we've gone to the standing-start race because we're looking at races like the Flashing Red and Redcliffe Cup with him,' he said. Captain Hammerhead won 14 races and more than $350,000 for Victorian trainer David Moran before switching to Team Dixon a few weeks back. Team Dixon also has two of the major players – Fire And Passion (gate two) and Fight For Glory (11) – in Saturday night's $50,000 Group 2 Qbred 2YO final, which shapes a key pointer to the $500,000 Protostar. 'They're both nice horses – given the draws Fire And Passion is our best hope, but Barsby has the pole and will be hard to beat,' Grant said. • Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp. Originally published as Leap To Fame has prizemoney record in his sights as he launches new campaign at Albion Park
Al Etihad
16-04-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
Abu Dhabi taps power of AI to lead sustainable future
17 Apr 2025 01:12 MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)Abu Dhabi is harnessing artificial intelligence to drive sustainability, with AI-led projects slashing costs and boosting efficiency, according to Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD).'We stand at a pivotal moment where climate and biodiversity challenges demand innovative action. The air we breathe, our Arabian Gulf waters, and our delicate desert ecosystems require immediate attention,' she said during the ninth Abu Dhabi Sustainable Business Leadership Forum 2025, which kicked off on year's edition is held under the theme 'Collaboration for Impact: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Business Practices'. The forum brings together business leaders, technology experts, and sustainability advocates to explore how AI can be responsibly applied to accelerate environmental Abu Dhabi's leadership in the field, Dr. Al Dhaheri cited a number of AI-powered initiatives, including an EAD-led habitat assessment project that mapped 11,000 hectares with 90% cost savings, and the use of AI robotics in mangrove restoration under the Nabat partnership.'Across our emirate, AI optimises water, enhances biodiversity monitoring, and improves waste management,' she noted. Dr. Al Dhaheri also pointed to Masdar City's NZ1 project — the capital's first net-zero energy office building — as a model of AI-driven sustainable construction, producing 102% of its annual energy needs and reducing energy use by 101% compared to international insights show AI could inject $15.7 trillion into the economy by 2030, with sustainability central, Dr. Al Dhaheri noted. 'For Abu Dhabi, AI drives our 22% carbon reduction goal by 2027, aligning with UAE Net Zero 2050.'The forum featured in-depth discussions on the challenges and opportunities of sustainable business leadership in the era of emerging technologies, the growing influence of the impact economy, and the vital role of multi-stakeholder engagement in advancing sustainable practices. Collective Approach Collaboration is key to unlocking AI's full potential and navigating its challenges, according to Al Dhaheri. 'The true power of AI is collective,' she said. 'Imagine AI predicting storm surges and intelligently managing water. Over these two days, we'll explore AI in energy, resources, and climate adaptation, while addressing ethical considerations. The challenges we face are too complex for any single entity to tackle alone. We must form strong alliances across government departments, industry sectors, and beyond our borders.'Huda Al Houqani, Director of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Group (ADSG), agreed that real progress happens when businesses, governments, and innovators work together. 'By sharing knowledge, aligning goals, and co-developing solutions, we ensure AI is used responsibly, inclusively, and effectively,' Al Houqani told Aletihad . 'This collective approach drives greater impact, accelerates innovation, and supports the transition to a more sustainable, tech-enabled future,' she added. The ADSG supports its members through workshops, knowledge-sharing, and cross-sector collaboration to ensure AI adoption is ethical, inclusive, and aligned with sustainability goals, delivering tangible impact across climate action, circularity, and social responsibility.
