WHAT WILL BE HORSE RACING’S LEGACY WHEN EVERYTHING HAS BEEN SAID AND DONE?

These are extremely strange and evolutionarily revolutionary times for every industry including horse racing led by-where does one start?- turnover in such free fall that even Tom Cruise couldn’t help stem the flow as it heads South.

Recently, there’s been the online whirlpool of an implosion and its ripple effect, whereas certain governments are getting itchy feet because the natives are getting restless for more housing.

The Wars Of The Rosehill in New South Wales is far from over, The Romantic Warrior Mystery is blatantly obvious, one other racing jurisdiction is about to bite the dust, and with the odds heavily stacked against anything ever returning to being Business As Usual. 

What WAS “Business As Usual”?

What’s going on- and there’s plenty NOT going on for nearly every other industry- looks like being a long drawn out horse opera watched from the sidelines by some with no skin in the game, whereas those who have invested in it wondering how much longer the pastime might continue to limp along. 

While all this is going on, there’s millionaire Gillon McLachlan, below, the relatively new CEO of Tabcorp, and someone with a fabulous head of Victor Mature type gladiator hair, and a plan.

“Gilly” is adopting a New Broom Sweeps Clean strategy and plans to invest in giving the betting retail sector in Australia comprising pubs etc a Joan Rivers type of facelift to make the wagering experience more enjoyable. 

Hmmmmm.

Makes some sense, though, as in how it’s always about how people make a city, no one is attracted to frequenting any venue anywhere in the world that might include a motley crew no matter what flowers are on display, what designer furniture has been moved in and which hip new music is being played in the loos.

As has been written here for almost a decade, cosmetic changes aside, first and foremost, horse racing and many of those who continue to rule it, or are part of it, need to be more likeable. 

The pastime can’t afford to keep thinking that they are Nero, because, well, that fiddle is broken, the chariot wheels have fallen off and the smoke has blurred the mirrors of reality.

If the Fat Lady hasn’t already sung, there might be a need for the brand personality of the pastime to finally look sleek, cool, attractive, inviting and, well, have those creating the product “invest” in being seen as good people.

But…

How the above can be achieved is a question often asked, but seldom answered, because, just maybe, the question is lethal and legally binding, or there are no real answers other than the usual glib corporate speak to the rather sycophantic horse racing media that wants to see out happy retirement plans.

One might tell the big Poohbahs of racing to “Be Brave” and Change Or Perish.

Yawn.

Who’s listening and does anyone really care when age has slowed down many and life’s priorities of millions have completely changed?

Who really cares about investing in a marginally popular pastime like horse racing when many are trying to make sense of a topsy turvy world being run by mad men high on power and played for huge stakes including the futures of possibly two generations.

What would be nice, however, is if horse racing can ride off into the sunset with a certain degree of dignity.

Maybe it should be working NOW to be seen as a once aspirational pastime with a beautiful legacy- a legacy that might have a completely different future fashioned and shaped into something else by the generations who will takeover what is THEIR world when something like horse racing, as we know it, and everything else here now, is no longer around?

Too often, there’s actually much ado about nothing other than how this just might be the time to help create a new world for our children and grandchildren and do something that will actually stand the test of time.

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