BLABBALOO AND THE ARF ARF PEOPLE!!!
- 44 minutes ago
- 3 min read
What can one say about the dulcet tones and The Online Voice of Australian racing that is Gareth Hall? Entertaining, definitely, and like a dog with a bone, when after a story where he might sniff a bet, he becomes as hard working and committed as James Brown about gettin’ it on up and getting on it.
Particularly arresting is when he basically salivates whenever interviewing a jockey or trainer for even a morsel of what might be considered a tip, something he turned into a fine art when in Western Australia where he probably started to navigate his course to be on every online racing and sports online radio channel in Australia.
We actually like “The G Man”. He’s passionate about his gig, he’s certainly not pretentious and there are those amusing Gotcha moments when he gives those he’s interviewing about horse racing some tough love. He’s not a dullard.
No one is asking “The G Man” to suddenly become a saviour to his punting flock, BUT, there is a need for balance when it comes to horse racing, the constant mention of “the punt”, and to somehow rein in Greed.
Organisations like Jumping Jack Flash and the “toothless, bearded hag” that’s probably the acronym challenged ARF- the Asian Racing Federation- should look at how gambling on horse racing can help create a better world instead of the usual showboating by the usual suspects that bring nothing much to the table except for generalisations and not specifications and just some superficial peeps playing for time. And time is running out for many of us.
It’s a tad nauseating to read and with none of what’s being said- “entertainment”?- meaning anything to those “younger people” and those who know today’s entertainment world and the different audiences it might attract. There are no certainties.
ARF is no different to the Oscars, the Grammys etc- all irrelevant today- and the IFPI- The International Federation of Phonographic Industries- that despite its lofty title and someone or another being its leader, the organisation didn’t even see Daniel Ek waltzing in and decimating the music industry with Spotify.
As for ARF and its annual ARCs- Asian Racing Conferences and the most recent meeting of the minds taking place in Riyadh- surely by now, Shirley, there should be some work done on why the advertising for horse racing still comes with a Warning sign, owning up as to why racing in Singapore and Macau were always going to close down, and why popular consumer brands keep away from being associated with racing like the plague?
But do those running racing clubs really care enough to understand the need for addressing any of this through effective communications strategies? Or is it all about keeping up pretences and flouncing around thinking no one knows what’s really not going on?
Then again, despite the usual serving of pontificating waffles, horse racing remains a marginal pastime, especially in an economy that’s become a precarious balancing act, and with a rather ugly and widening gap between the very wealthy and the old school plebs who are only there to make up the numbers.
What might be best is to have two types of horse racing- one being private faux faux parties for the Old Spice brigade with gallopers owned by those who can afford them, and the other party being a budget type beer, cheese and whining party for those not unlike some of the characters in any of Gary Larson’s Far Side cartoons.
*Is it only us or is navigating one’s way through the “vision” section of racing.com worth the time and hassle when, more often than not, one is in a quandary about knowing if shown is a repeat of a race or something actually being seen ‘live’?
*It’s really not all about money, and Rob Foenander is proof positive of this by making a career for himself by thoroughly enjoying what he is doing and being immersed in bringing the magic of music to those in various age care homes in Melbourne.
A few months ago, Rob visited the great Australian Racing Hall of Famer Pat Hyland and brightened up life for him and his family and friends with a rocking afternoon of music and fun.
A side note: Rob’s uncle, the late Cliff Foenander, was the singer with Hong Kong’s most popular band- The Fabulous Echoes- who appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, recorded for Liberty Records and had a very longtime stint in Hawaii.
He rides tall in the saddle: Ryuseih Sakai. Confidence personified and with charisma bordering on refined arrogance and totally in harmony with his great partner in Japan’s mighty Forever Young. Amazing team around this brilliant galloper.
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