NSW Racing embracing momentous change - #1 Horse Racing Forum in Australia for Race-Horse News

Peter Mair

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Original Post 2011-Dec-21, 07:07 AM

NSW Racing embracing momentous change

It is fair to mark Tuesday 20 December as the start of the reign of the new RNSW board.

One is naturally wary of media reports about RacingNSW when the Daily Telegraph is given exclusive acess to its deliberations, in this instance to the first meeting of the new board:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/superracing/nsw-racing-industry-about-to-embrace-an-era-of-momentous-change/story-fn67rc85-1226227104361

There is, predictably and sensibly, a general air of confidence about the new board's good intentions to restore racing in NSW to something akin to its historically high status.

The issue, however, is whether what is being proposed will work.

Consider these propositions extracted from the exclusive report:

................over the next five years Sydney's major racecourses - Royal Randwick, Warwick Farm and Rosehill Gardens - will get a $500 million makeover designed to reinvigorate the sport of kings.

.................approval has been given to begin a $285 million redevelopment of Warwick Farm racecourse and surrounds.

Remarks booked to the minister in a related context included:

"Royal Randwick will soon be at the forefront of racing excellence and the forefront of tourism".

"Today heralds the start of a long-overdue rejuvenation process that ... will win back the hearts and minds of Sydney's long-suffering racegoers."
Remarks booked to the new chairman included:

"Racing in Australia has a great franchise, but returns to owners as a group must be improved.

.............and that, frankly, is where the scepticism starts to build. On my model of the business of racing, the only way that the returns to owners -- akin to punters placing big bets -- can be improved is if the returns to breeders are reduced, and that means reduced returns to the major studs standing the most popular stallions, the progeny of which start favourite when the owner-punters are placing their biggest bets.

This story will unfold.


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2011-Dec-21, 09:38 AM

Peter Mair writes ... 2011-Dec-21, 07:07 AM

.................approval has been given to begin a $285 million redevelopment of Warwick Farm racecourse and surrounds.

Are they going to build a bridge over Georges River so they can extend the straight by 700m ?


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Peter Mair

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2011-Dec-23, 07:54 AM

Place your bets: RacingVictoria v. RacingNSW

In another exclusive, linked below, the Daily Telegraph has published the responses of the respective CEOs to some policy issues confronting racing generally and NSW and Victoria in particular. While the differences are expressed politely, some differences are potentiaslly fundamental to the prospective viability of racing in NSW.

In particular the prefernce for a levy on turnover in NSW, rather than profits, leaves NSW exposed irrespective of the pending court decision -- denied a viable role in Australia Betfair among others may head offshore as it did in the UK. Importantly, RNSW concedes that the federal government has no appetite for a national racing body.

Similarly there is some residual tension about the 'one club' preference for managing metropolitan racing in Sydney but no inclination to merge the three clubs in Melbourne. This difference has a possibly crucial bearing on the choice facing NSW about media rights -- will RNSW permit the ATC to stay with TVN or will RNSW press its once clear preference to deal more exclusively with SKY on the broadcast rights to all NSW races?

Some attitudes are common to both. Sports betting is seen as the main competitor for racing wagering and the facts on relative growth rates bear this out: one issue, not explored, is whether punters see sports betting as generally having more integrity for most punters than the outcome of races and the implications of that perception. Neither has much appetite for either a national racing body or a national TAB pool (perhaps bar some exotics).

In looking to embrace momentous change alluded to earlier in the week, the tensions now confronting RaciingNSW are potential game breakers for racing in NSW -- conversely, there are none of those tensions in Victoria now gathering momentum in the run-for-the roses in Australian racing.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/superracing/nsw-and-victoria-working-to-further-racing/story-fn67rc85-1226228868996


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Peter Mair

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2011-Dec-25, 06:28 AM

New chairman promises to make a difference after 100 days and 200 days

A video of an in-house interview with the new chairman of RacingNSW has been posted on its home page -- click 'video' on top of the 'weekly news' box the right of the home page.

http://www.racingnsw.com.au/default.aspx?s=home


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Peter Mair

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2011-Dec-25, 08:54 PM

Another 'Laurel&Hardy' show -- or is 'Laurel' on 200 days notice from 'Hardy'

You have had time to watch the video -- go back and focus on the content from 18.30 to 20.40.

What do you make of the chairman's assesment of the chief executive?

Asked to comment on PVL -- in a carefully scripted interview -- the new chairman uses a range of cliches to acknowledge the likely 2+2=5 benefits of his partnershp with PVL, but stresses the need to deliver results soon, soon.

Between the lines one might read an intention to give PVL a career development interview at the end of March (100 days) and something similiar at the end of June -- after 200 days.

It just may be that little Pete has been given something to ponder over the Xmas break.


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Peter Mair

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2011-Dec-25, 09:53 PM

I am confused -- a very mixed message from a normally predictable source

One never knows who at RacingNSW is the influential source of stories run in the Daily Telegraph but what could be developing around a Big John and Little Pete theme seems to colour a very mixed message in a DT story -- one filed appropriately on 'boxing day'.

Someone is going -- I will back Big John in the elimination bouts.

This is the verbatim gist of a very convoluted story that has me confused:

Messara can be the punters' pal

THE support continues for the articles I have written on the appointment of John Messara as chairman of Racing NSW and the role played by our Sports Minister, George Souris.

I am surprised by the congratulations I have received from many in the breeding industry. It shows Messara is definitely not a popular appointment, but we have to face the fact he is in the chair and what he does in his four-year term will impact tremendously on racing.

Messara, a highly intelligent man, would be aware of the groundswell of opinion against him. He can swing that around by making changes and introducing initiatives that benefit the entire industry. I genuinely hope he is fabulously successful.

I am haunted by remarks Messara made to Caroline Searcy in March 2010 when he described punters as recreational. To me it sounded elitist, particularly when you realise the majority of owners are recreational. [Was it Big John that said that?]

The only owners that go into racing expecting a profit are the major breeders and their racetrack profits or losses are secondary to the money they make in the yearling market and in their huge stallion fees.

I am all for costs to owners being reduced where possible, which, different from a prizemoney boost, benefits all owners. I am also all for considerations being given to punters, who provide the major share of racing's revenue. I don't know of an industry that pays less respect to its customers than racing pays to its punters.


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J.Glenoban

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2011-Dec-26, 07:02 AM

It looks like Kenny's monday column has been published on the net under Ray Thomas's byline

Ray will have kittens when he finds out, the man has never criticized racing power in his life.

He's probably making frantic phone calls as we speak, "It wasn't me John, i promise, i'd never something mean about you, you know that".


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Peter Mair

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2012-Jan-06, 07:17 PM

Equine Influenza: a relationship established in crisis runs on to another

For the moment it is only necessary to note this appointment, reported in the Daily Telegraph, as part of the momentous changes being embraced by the ringmaster at RacingNSW.

PETER McGauran, the federal agriculture minister when John Howard was the prime minister, has been appointed as Racing NSW's Director of Strategy, Marketing and Public Affairs.

Although McGauran's new role will not meet with universal approval in racing circles, it is nonetheless a coup for Racing NSW.

McGauran brings to his new role a sharp legal mind (he's a lawyer by training), the right political connections and an understanding of racing industry issues after recently serving as chief executive of Thoroughbred Breeders Australia.

He is also a former amateur jockey and stipendiary steward.

"We immediately sought Peter McGauran to join us when he left his previous position," Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'landys said.

"It is rare to have someone of Peter's calibre become available. Peter brings enormous experience and ability and will be a major asset to the NSW racing industry."


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Peter Mair

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2012-Jan-09, 07:00 AM

Kenny stirs the plot: keep an eye on this

From today's Terrorgraph:

I THOUGHT Racing NSW was cash strapped, but apparently not with the appointment of the high salaried Peter McGauran to the newly created position of Director of Strategy, Marketing and Public Affairs.

A month back McGauran, who has worked with John Messara, the chairman, in previous appointments, was supposed to be taking a position above the stewards in charge of integrity issues, but that must have fallen through.

The person who should feel a little uncomfortable with all of this is CEO Peter Vlandys , the man who guided Racing NSW through the equine infulenza epidemic and who has fought the battle against the corporate bookies almost single handedly.

Is there room for two highly paid executives in Racing NSW?


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Peter Mair

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2012-Jan-13, 06:17 AM

McGauran appointment: who wrote the press release?

For some years now media comment attributed to RacingNSW collectively has typically had a close resemblance to views and attitudes expressed by the ceo.

The wash up to this new appointment of Mr McGuaran has noted his apparently ongoing association with the new chairman of RNSW and speculated about some possible further implications -- if there is any substance to that speculation, it raises a related question of whether the ceo wrote the words attributed to him in the latest media release.

Peter McGauran Joins Racing NSW

Racing NSW’s Chief Executive, Peter V’landys, has announced the appointment of Peter McGauran to the position of Director of Strategy, Marketing and Public Affairs.

“We immediately sought Peter McGauran to join us when he left his previous position.

“It is rare to have someone of Peter’s calibre become available. Peter brings enormous experience and ability and will be a major asset to the NSW racing industry,” Mr V’landys added.


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Peter Mair

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2012-Jan-21, 07:42 AM

SKY and TVN -- head to head with the heads on Sunday morning

Tomorrow morning at 9 am the new chairman of RNSW will be on Sky's Racing Retro and at 10.15 am both the chairman and ceo of RNSW will be on TVN with Richard Callander.[/size]


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Peter Mair

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2012-Jan-22, 07:45 AM

TVN schedule confused

It is now not clear when the Richard Callander interview will be broadcast.

The response from BigPond to the following email promised a reply with in two days -- but if someone knows better quicker please advise.

INTERVIEW WITH MESSARA AND V'LANDYS

There is some confusion about the timing of showing the Richard Callander interview with the RNSW chiefs

Yesterday it looked like 10.15 today but the Herald Sun is saying 7.30 pm tonight and the 'vision' schedule for TVN has no mention of it.

Can you say when the interview will be broadcast, please?


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Peter Mair

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2012-Jan-22, 11:57 AM

TVN -- INTERVIEW WITH MESSARA AND V'LANDYS

I am assured by TVN insiders that the interview will air at 7.30 tonight, Sunday 22.

................and those that missed the interview with the Chairman on Racing Retro can presumably catch up with the replay later tonight.


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Peter Mair

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2012-Jan-22, 10:34 PM

Today's RacingNSW interviews: much ado about doing nothing different today or tomorrow.

It is ever more clear that the community's understanding of Australian racing industry should be exposed to an independent assessment of the way things work now -- especially that the the major breeders are the principal participant beneficiaries of the way things are.

Importantly, the commercial interests of major breeders are aligned with the dominant political and industy participant interests -- playing along with the politicians and participants and doing nothing different is the breeders best game plan.

Among the more deceptively self-serving debating points is the administrators' and breeders determination to portray owners as 'putting on the show' and 'entitled to recover costs' when the plain truth is that 'owners' are just punters making bigger bets than most in the full knowledge that most will lose most of their outlay. The corollary is that any increase in prizemoney (to recompense owners for thie costs) will again mainly finish up in the hands of the major breeders: the effect would be the same as giving rebates to TAB punters who would just bet the lot until it was also lost (most probably to the top-10 punters who are takers from the net pool contributed by the mass of TAB punters.)

The basically identical interviews with John Messara broadcast today added nothing but may, in due course, be a source of haunting quotes: presumably some background will emerge about the politics dictating that SKY got first dibs, running a live interview this morning to 'match' the recorded interview given to TVN some days ago and eventually broadcast this evening.

The interviews added little to our understanding of the past or the likely future -- the critical break point is the looming decision on the racefields levy but it was difficult to discern any tips about the expected outcome (an outcome which cannot be a random one in a world where lawyers would have very sensible expectations but observe silence ahead of a decision they may bid to be be paid to appeal).

The appointment of the Messiah to head RacingNSW complements the established unholy alliance of politicians wanting 'racing votes' and the racing industry wanting 'punter's money' and the administrators seeking monopolistic prcing outcomes to satisfy both beneficiary groups.

The Messsiah, as chairman of the RNSW board, is consistent with the established culture of having breeders in a controlling role and generous compensation for appointing a nominally more diverse board with fewer breeders -- some members are nonetheless so closely aligned with the prevailing culture that they will make no difference to an ongoing pattern of traditional outcomes.

There is no game on yet.


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sobig

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2012-Jan-22, 11:04 PM

Peter

You say "(an outcome which cannot be a random one in a world where lawyers would have very sensible expectations but observe silence ahead of a decision they may bid to be be paid to appeal".

I have no idea how anyone could come up with this comment when a HIGH COURT decision cannot be appealed.


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