There wasn’t much need to be wishing Gillon McLachlan “good luck” when he eventually went for his official “interview" on Monday for a place on the Racing Victoria Board.
Of course he landed in Exhibition Street well presented, no doubted presented well, had cobbled together an updated CV, added a few references and then was ready to answer all the tough questions.
Like: “When can you start?”
Yes, ok, a little facetious, but times are ripe for Gill and his team to - as Morrisey and The Smith's once wrote - "unite and take over." Fair enough it was lit by "Shoplifters, of the world".
Victorian Racing is well overdue for such. And it's coming soon.
Not so much negotiations, but operation Battleships behind the scenes, are being played out as you read.
McLachlan is obviously shorter odds than Black Caviar and Winx rolled into one- well unofficially it’s a walkover - when Racing Minister Anthony Carbines in his official role eventually says go and Gill strides in, takes the big chair, and things get moving Gill’s way at Epsom Road.
Which also means putting a few leftovers from the departed CEO Andrew Jones’ management team into the draft, while at the same time suggesting maybe two (or so) other long sitting board members (those who originally anointed the testy Jones in the first place) be encouraged to take lifetime passes to committee room lunches and the like to ensure another possible two fresh faces join Tim Rourke and Mark Player once the Gill curtain goes up.
And behind it may be some new show. It’s the very least that the industry now expects.
And did you see the cleverly almost Trump like photo opportunity campaign from Gill last week.
Down at The Bool, yes “that mustard jacket” got the required media mention and surely the Australian Racing Museum has their eyes on it.
But there were all the easy softball answers to hardly an even underarm enquiry.
“I’ve always loved racing. I like a punt. But I like breeding, I like horses in general,” he was quoted as saying.
“This carnival is what racing is all about.”
Then there was Adelaide Saturday and a runner in the Derby, A Samurai Mind, who didn’t quite cut it, but it did also allow Gill for a schmaltzy chat with Bruce McAvaney on Channel’s 7’s coverage.
“If someone wanted me to help and I could, I would.”
“I’d do that (chair of RV) if they wanted me, and it was still available.”
And there wasn’t even a smirk on the face to hide (couldn’t see fingers crossed behind the back either.)
And of course, “I’ve got to work the decision around how I pay for my house and my family,” and we’ll leave that there and move onto the real play and say c’mon, get to it Gill.
There is much to do.
Yes, Gill has now seemingly got his real job (asset management) sorted or at least at base camp with a comfortable ascent ahead, so the mortgage and the family will be ok.
That allows the comfortable transition, dare I say it that way, into racing.
It’s the big family of Victorian racing that needs not just a new stepfather, but a leader that will take all with him on the climb.
A step back and look at where he came from at the AFL, where he succeeded Andrew Demetriou as CEO in 2014, who had been there since 2003, and only three chairmen covering their same period.
Look at Racing Victoria, established 2001 and Graham Duff as chairman, followed by Michael Duffy, Rob Roulston, David Moodie (both leaving under a cloud of their own making) with Mike Hirst acting as chair either side of Brian Kruger, into, well let’s just say it - Gill.
The CEO chair has been more musical.
Brian Beattie into Neville Fielke, into Robert Nason (remember he was going to shut down the spring carnival if Betfair got a toehold in – he didn’t), Stephen Allanson (remember the Jack Hinton betting affair), Rob Hines (who coming in and going out described racing as “the most dysfunctional industry he had worked in), Bernard Saundry (before heading to New Zealand and back to a comfy chair at struggling industry media entity RSN ),.
Next, Giles Thompson now at Vic Roads, Andrew Jones (from Sale Of The Century, a bit of Netball re-invigorating, Big Bash cricket changing to be sure, then some unabashed bold ideas to the racing table, that were just as boldly dismissed Now Aaron Morrison moves cross from Operating to acting the main role, but for how long?
You will no doubt hear of a global search to find RV’s next permanent CEO, but don’t be surprised if when found, he may also be well known.
The RV Board survived a spill motion at a special meeting in February called by influential Owner’s Boss Jonathan Munz, whose three votes were the only ones registered in support of the motion.
There were 17 of 35 votes across the 11 shareholders against but with 15 votes abstained (including those of the Melbourne Racing Club and the Victorian Racing Club) when they read the unsuccessful way the wind was blowing. But it was a calm before another turbulent storm that led to Jones departure.
It is squarely time for stability and leadership, and dare one say innovation, ideas, restructuring, consolidation that leads to growth, and without adding too many more cliches, team play, that is racing as the team, and putting that tired old horse called “Self Interest” into the paddock for a touch.
Racing is already full of spot fires and challenges, but so too is any sport or industry. Just as the AFL did under McLachlan’s tenure.
“Growing the fanbase of this fantastic sport remains the number one challenge to secure its future sustainability, and I wish Racing Victoria every success under its new leadership,” were part of the words of Jones as he left after just 21 months.
Munz, had said “Jones and his team were completely out of their depth and, apart from fundamental management errors, were seen as pushing a misconceived radical strategy parading as innovation."
Munz had already taken aim at the RV board as “more culpable than Jones” and there was "insufficient racing knowledge and lack of commercial expertise" that enabled the demise of the previous CEO and team.
So, what comes first for a McLachlan lead team at Board and management level?
Well, there is a long “laundry” list on the to-do and there is no particular batting order, and it will not be a Sydney/Melbourne premise or a V’landys barney and nor should it.
That’s an easy headline that under a McLachlan group would be nothing more than a cheap grab media distraction while real work goes on.
There is no magic wand to arrest a turnover decline, which has led to prizemoney cuts, but there are elements around such worth exploring.
Media strategy is one, Racing Victoria’s Integrated Media Business is knowingly haemorrhaging money, amalgamating racing.com (TV), RSN (radio) and Winning Post, Best Bets (print) was a long overdue no brainer, but numbers aren’t adding up, that is viewers, listeners, buyers, as much as bottom line. As well as talent and production. Still waiting for that improved jumpout coverage for the putters, those all-important fans too.
The Victoria Racing Club continually cocooning Cup Week to themselves, now Channel 9, will not sit well with the man who re-negotiated AFL media rights, that latest a record $4.5b ($4b in cash not contra) up from his previous $2.5b deal in 2017.
Expect media to be a serious focus of the incoming team.
Mentions of club rationalisation, Jones was keen on exploring efficiencies across clubs, the closing down and redevelopment of The Valley after the 2025 Cox Plate may expedite such with the MRC, as it still struggles across a split board and what it and its members will do re Sandown and its own planned Grand Pavilion build.
The Southside racing example of Pakenham and Cranbourne already proves something saleable and sellable to members and industry.
Is there something in the AFL membership model, to a racing membership, where footy clubs share home ground like The G and Marvel, where racing, where members of one club are most likely members of others, can share all tracks. Just a thought.
Like do Flemington trainers eventually get moved to a purpose-built centre on their $25m “Project X” near Melbourne Airport that could also host in part, the quarantine centre allowing a new inside track and lights for Flemington, as night racing becomes a clearer focus for growing that imaginary pie.
There’s obviously so much more, but better left in the hands of McLachlan and a revamped management team and a new look board, to address, deal and start to make things happen that all of industry can run with and alongside.
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