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.
no one in particular
Guest
Biggest concern should be the punters and the inability of many to get a bet on. Racing is funded by the punter, and if turnover is being lost because of the actions of some partners (ie Corporates and the various TAB’s fisex odds products) then something must be done about it
no one in particular
Guest
Having a set program is too easy. In the spring work backwards from the Melbourne Cup. Caulfield Guineas day is the first day of the spring carnival in Melbourne. Sydney can have their races up till then, with the Epsom and Metrop the week before Caulfield. Autumn carnival works back from Easter. First day of Sydney carnival is Randwick Guineas, and Melbourne have the weeks before. Who cares if Easter is a roving date, a simple look at the moon charts years in advance will tell you what date it is. Brisbane works backwards from the June long weekend
TigerMan
Guest
I think ob ne of the issues that the ARC should have on the agenda is the loss of TVN and how they need to get this or a station similar back on TV. For all the pomp & ceremony, most of the corporate & journalists they have speaking, have self interests in mind and will speak with their interest as the driver of racing in Australia. However, without the mug punter or Joe Public is what keeps the racing ticking over. As the years progress, many of us oldies are dying off and the industry needs more young people to come on board. What TVN did was give these newbies a lot of visual information concentrating on the major races & venues. This generation lap this up and it was all in one place. They dont care about some scrubber horse racing in some never heard of provincial track. They look at the glamour of the big courses with the renowned horses & jockeys and TVN was extremely good at presenting this. The Get On, blackbookers, Track talk, from the mounting yard interviews etc were what they want. Whilst Sky Thoroughbred Central tries hard, it is not a patch on TVN and I have seen my kids and their friends drop off horse racing and now gamble more on sports.
pat malone
Guest
i wouldn't mind if they cancelled every adelaide group 1
Jason Cornell
Expert
As per the first radio interview with new Racing Victoria Chairman David Moodie . He has not spoken to John Messara in a year because they had a blu regarding the conflict of the Australian and Randwick Guineas! If NSW under instruction or motivation by the NSW Govt wanted to move The Championships and/or the Slipper - I think they will just do it!
sheek
Roar Guru
Hi Jason, "Australian Racing Conference: what can racing hope for." Perhaps I read the banner headline a little differently. I would like to see a better co-ordinated racing program between the states. There are effectively four uber-major race carnivals, complemented by three other major carnivals. The uber-major carnivals are Melbourne autumn, Sydney autumn, Sydney spring & Melbourne spring. The major carnivals are Perth summer, Adelaide autumn & Brisbane winter. Brisbane winter probably thinks it ought to be uber-major as well. Each carnival ought to be allowed a 'clear air' window of about three/four weeks for their major races. When I first started following racing in the mid-60s as a young 'un, this appeared mostly to be the case. Each carnival mostly followed a similar pattern: A 3200m Cup hcp, plus a mile & sprint hcp; three-year old classics - Derby/Oaks, 2000/1000 Gns; at least one middle distance (2000/2400m) & one short distance (1200/1600m) wfa, etc. Now that variety has been compressed with lots of sprints at the expense of middle distance races. And carnivals are getting into each other's clear air. I particularly feel for the Adelaide autumn program, which is being squeezed out by both Sydney & Brisbane. Back in the 60s & & 70s, SA racing was at the forefront of Australian racing, led by champion trainers Bart Cummings, Colin Hayes & Graeme Heagney, who managed many of the best horses in the country. Reading your article, I guess I'm coming from a different angle, but I would like to see more co-ordinated co-operation between the various state racing bodies. I think it would be in their mutual interests to have a unified national structure.