The Australian Racing Conference commences tomorrow in Brisbane with Ubet as the major sponsor.
(The Roar will look to update with news and presentations throughout the conference)
The programme has a number of sessions that involve prominent panellists answering key questions.
Customer experience with AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan, race programming with various state administrators, the future of wagering with Tabs and corporate bookmakers – plus engaging with fans with all football CEO’s of Brisbane in attendance.
If the last couple of Australian Racing Conferences are anything to go by – don’t expect any innovative marketing programmes or hard agendas to be followed up as result of the conference.
The interesting thing for me is the non-mention of a couple of key items: Both Owners, and, the new Racing Australia.
The formation of Racing Australia is one of the most pivotal changes in the administration of racing in this country for the last 10 years.
Yet we don’t have a speaker or representative from Racing Australia speaking at the Australian Racing Conference?
But also in the background and the big elephant in the room is the ongoing negotiations regarding media rights and the State v State politics and one upmanship. Even Racing NSW CEO Peter V’landys does not warrant a spot on the speakers list!
The development of a national marketing program to attract new owners and fans to the sport is what I would like to see come out from these discussions.
Take this example from the weekend’s racing: Aerovelocity, a New Zealand bred gelding now racing out of the stables of Paul O’Sullivan in Hong Kong, won the Krisflyer Sprint race in Singapore on Sunday.
Aerovelocity has now won three Group 1s in three different countries, over $6 million in prizemoney and is eligible for a US $1M bonus as part of the Global Sprint Challenge if he can win another one this year – with the likely options either in Hong Kong or Australia.
Aerovelocity has one owner – a first time owner based in Hong Kong. He was lucky enough to become a Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) member and gain the right to a permit to purchase a ‘Private Purchase’ which he did with his trainer O’Sullivan.
The rewards and the aspirational qualities of owning a winner – let alone an international Group 1 winner in Hong Kong is hard to describe – but it is what drives the demand for ownership and thus the sport/industry.
My question for the Australian Racing Conference is whom would be tasked with engaging with this owner – and ensuring he lives out his ownership dreams by owning more horses in Australia, and possibly moving up the chain to breeding. Hong Kong obviously doesn’t allow for breeding, and that’s where a huge opportunity sits. O’Sullivan will clearly be leading him towards NZ’s industry for investment in breeding and yearling sales – Australia needs to be on the front foot.
The other distinct possibility is convincing him to race Aerovelocity in Australia up against our best – just the sheer wagering the clash would bring, plus the opportunity for commingling with the HKJC, would be enticing.
Since writing this piece, it appears Racing Victoria’s international recruiter Leigh Jordon is looking to sway connections to bring the sprinter over.
“The owner is keen for Aerovelocity to run in the Hong Kong Sprint in December but there’s still plenty of time for him to run here and be ready for that race,” Jordon told RSN.
It shouldn’t be left just to the Victorians though to look at one race and one opportunity. The NSW agenda will be to recruit for the TJ Smith and The Championships in 2016. State against State may mean no result for either.
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