Saffie Osborne: Classic timing.
The entire racing world loves Saffie Osborne, because, not only did she playfully call Matt Chapman an idiot for saying that Highwayman had no chance of winning the St Leger Stakes at Doncaster- I like Matt very much- she also didn’t just break the glass ceiling, she brought down the entire roof by becoming the first woman rider to win a British classic race.
This incredible feat has, quite rightly, become a mantra in the racing world- and this also is something not without its problems.
Though somewhat knowledgable about the back door politics and the sometimes pompous creepiness and shallow nature of the horse racing world, interactivity has changed considerably since that outside/inside world termed “social media” came out to play.
It’s where these days, the tail is wagging the dog and many of us aimlessly scroll through Comments sections not expecting to find anything while disregarding actual content. Reading content is too much hard work.
Every one of these comments sections have congratulated the wonderfully effervescent Saffie Osborne and what she has accomplished with, of course, those half baked potato puddings having to splash some cold water on the wins by having to say something negative and unnecessary just for the sake of it.
I’m guessing that the human condition is in need of considerable psychological work, and while this may or may not work and the entire world seems to be in the grip of a possible future AI world, horse racing needs to build on the success of Saffie Osborne. It needs to be much more than it is by bringing in new marketing talent and creating new partnerships.
Though a music marketing person who has headed the Regional offices in Asia of Universal Music and EMI Music, I am familiar with Hayley Turner, Hollie Doyle, in Australia Michelle Payne, Jamie Kah Melham, Rachel King and so many coming up the ranks like Molly Fitzgerald whereas I shall never forget those game changing American riders like Julie Krone, Chantal Sutherland and Robyn Smith, below and wife of the great Fred Astaire.
Having seen how quickly some champion male riders are usually only as good as their last win in a world where people have short memories and before negativity trumps the positive, horse racing is hardly known as being on the front foot when it comes to marketing its own product.
Whether it’s a lack of being able to attract good marketing talent that don’t see horse racing as being something to just rinse and repeat, there’s hardly been much that’s more than Chic performing “Celebration” or Frankie’s celebration jump and those humdrum presentation ceremonies.
About two years ago, all I heard from those leading the charge about horse racing was about “doing something like” the Netflix series called “Drive To Survive”.
But why would a streaming service like Netflix with almost everything built around storytelling, location and audience sizes, and because of the fan bases of the names behind the horsepower of motorsports be interested in horse racing?
Even if this were to happen, wouldn’t this be something like the almost two decade old American reality series called “Jockeys”?
When having created the Happy Wednesday brand for the Hong Kong Jockey Club, a friend in the big old entertainment world and I were toying with the idea of a reality show built around the special group of regulars who showed up to have a fun out at the Happy Valley racecourse with the city as the backdrop.
Then came the Covid spoiler alert and the double whammy of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, something that has taken “Asia’s world city” many steps backwards.
Meanwhile, I had started making plans to return to the world of music which was in dire need of looking at how the free streaming of music was supposed to help unknown artists.
Every industry today is not without its problems.
For myself, and because I love her sense of unbridled joy, I would really like to see Irish Actress/Singer Jessie Buckley interact with Saffie Osborne, Joseph O’Brien and Oisin Murphy.
This is, of course, something personal and a labour of love just as I would want to take Saffie to the races in Sri Lanka or have the rider take Gorillaz to watch those brilliant young riders in Mongolia- basically anything to break the cycle of copy and paste “creative” for the corporate racing world and with zero sponsorship or branding value.
Marketing anything has changed because the viewing habits of audiences have changed.
Though there can always be the traditions of horse racing for the dyed in the wool racing fans, perhaps there should be more ways of bringing the game to newer audiences by piggybacking racing with very different business and entertainment partners?
As for Saffie Osborne, she’s an inspiration to everyone who has a dream and how family and support systems and karma comes together to create memories that stay with you forever and the self belief to never give up.
Congratulations, Saffie. You’re terrific.
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