BY POPULAR DEMAND!!! THE RETURN OF ARF ARF!!! MORE HOWLING AT THE MOON!!!

“Billionaires' and Royalist clubs trying to attract the mass market... interesting”.

The problem is that it’s 2026 and there’s still the same old problem, and instead of this problem going away, there are actually more problems, because those given the reins to solve problems, perhaps don’t wish to as opposed to not knowing what to do next.

Why? Because maybe actually solving problems might make those who have been leading the band like Guy Lombardo did might feel that they could become redundant- which is part and parcel of the orchestrated paranoia that surrounds those drowning in securities in the corporate world.

This is why something like the acronym challenged ARF- the Asian Racing Federation, which ends its latest ARC- Asian Racing Conference- in Riyadh this week and is then done and dusted for another birdie num num year is just more worthless juju and corporate survival of a product that has extremely little relevance except to those who probably don’t know the meaning of the word.

“We are so bored with the serious pomposity. We just want some good humus with pita bread and maybe some belly dancing, preferably by a female”.

From what we have been made to understand by those in Riyadh for the usual free ride and the dog’s breakfast of mumbles disguised as promises, the big takeaway so far was that thoroughbred horse racing jurisdictions around the world were being chided by the longtime leader of the band to make like a Beatles song and come together. Wow and bow wow wow. He could have snapped and scolded you and marched someone outta there.

Of course also mentioned at ARC was that old warhorse known as “illegal betting operators”. But what does ARF expect from a business model built around gambling and which it markets?

Isn’t ARF kinda exactly like what it’s trying to fight and remove its competition from the garden of temptation?

These “illegal” competitors are far more streetwise and AI tech savvy than any of racing’s outdated behemoths no matter who is wheeled in and often with zero idea of today’s consumer who are trying to figure out what’s ahead.

Also, why is it that after all these many decades, extremely smart businesses and brands and intelligent decision making women in high level positions still see horse racing as something dwarfed and plagued by the usual “integrity” issues- and irrelevant?

Meanwhile, the racing industry continues to flail around with the usual rabid self promotion from certain quarters, but fails to attract sponsors, which is the lifeline for any successful industry.

The only sponsorship support system it has globally is the ever loyal Longines brand which has a very long history with horses and especially equestrian events.

Does the younger generation that horse racing thinks it desperately needs have any emotional affinity with horse racing, let alone Longines?

You know, smart young people who have many other interests outside of gambling, and have researched the pros and cons of horse racing by themselves, have done the maths and don’t believe and don’t care what’s written about whatever the brand personality of horse racing thinks it is. They can smell bs.

Despite all the efforts to be seen as “entertainment”, horse racing is hardly Bad Bunny or anything remotely hip.

It is something mainstream and an old boys lederhosen club suffering from shrinkage and which, most likely, ran its course almost two decades ago.

How does horse racing with its “platinum” status members and the good old diehards in the public enclosure have these two very different market segments come together to create a likeable brand personality?

Apparently, not the way things are being rolled out today. But what do we know when there are visionaries in racing clubs with Big Picture ideas and data driven analytics and humongous sense of Self?

Having said this, the smoke and mirrors are clearing, chaps, and many who were once even part of this game are bailing- if they haven’t bailed already.

Dangling “Greed Is Good” carrots is something of a despised mantra these days whereas horse racing cannot afford to continue to go it alone.

It needs to understand what else is happening in the world- and somehow have the smarts to understand the impact of cultural and political changes while always learning to play nicely with the big boys and to be genuine.