STAR WARS WITH WINI AND PETE AND CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH EQUINE AND OTHER WORLDS…
With the once Ice Cold Zebra Station having finally thawed and blossomed into the friendship between Peter V’Landys (Pete) and Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (Wini), it’s always interesting to explore the longevity of their respective roles in the world of horse racing- Pete being Chairman of Racing New South Wales and Wini, the CEO of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, respectively- and what is an ongoing horse opera with maybe the best yet to come…
It’s a horse opera that, over the very many years, has seen it all- intrigue, mystery, winning, power, more power, politics, subterfuge, control, deals, accusations, turnover, set piece press releases, lawsuits etc. It really should be the basis for a modern day Dick Francis-type thriller but in a sci fi setting and directed by someone like Christopher Nolan. Hold that thought.
The Australian and German haven’t got to be where they are in the racing game by, first and foremost, not looking after number one.
Their respective tribes are a supporting cast of loyalists with, at least where the HKJC is concerned, most of the expats extremely beholden to the CEO for them being in Hong Kong and on those famously bulging “expat packages” going back to those days of James Clavell’s taipans and noble houses and British colonialism.
This is not to take anything away from the knowledgeable and numbers driven strengths of the somewhat Dr Strangelove-like character that is Wini.
The rather brusque Pete, who some describe as a “bully of Trumpian proportions”, well, he might actually like that description and wear it as a badge of honour.
Wini is irreplaceable because the Board of the Hong Kong Jockey Club has apparently made this happen by not having a succession plan. Either that or else there’s no one out there with his experience and skills set.
This is especially needed now as the HKJC approaches what might be its most important era, and needs to shift gears and become part of the megapolis that is the Greater Bay Area which links Hong Kong and Macau with nine cities in the Guangdong area of Mainland China.
As for Pete, he appears to be a permanent fixture of the sporting world in New South Wales.
Despite their decades long war of attrition, the ways in which these two powerbrokers continue to reign supreme are through using the same corporate moves seen at the highest levels in every other industry, and where there’s always the need to use “experience in subterfuge” to strengthen one’s position and be indispensable.
Having been in the music and advertising industries, I have seen how quickly power changes hands and why it’s always important to count one’s fingers after shaking hands.
Peter V’Landys is the only person in horse racing who could take on WEB, something seen when he was a thorn in his side for almost three decades over the “tips for sale” saga involving former jockey Chris Munce.
It was childish and churlish stuff at a time when it might have been acceptable to be childish and churlish and take sides, because we were much younger then and very probably naive about the Wile E Coyote ways of the corporate world.
These days, with Pete seemingly set to move from leading Racing New South Wales after for what seems like an eternity and using his considerable art of deal making expertise to run the Australian National Rugby League (NRL), he has already scored a massive home run by securing a billion dollar broadcasting rights contract in America for the sport.
He was also very recently the key player in hammering out a deal to create a National Pool with Tabcorp and with Racing New South Wales having complete control of the Sky Thoroughbred Channel- and its staffing and upcoming facelift.
Pete’s constant deal making and focus on the NRL leaves Wini somewhat lonely at the top, but with all the time to roam through the vast terrain of horse racing like Mad Max on speed.
It appears to be a brilliant position for Wini to be in with the opportunity for the 71 year old to chart a new course for the future image and perception of horse racing, yes, and also be the North Star of a bigger and more holistic business model that has to do with the entire equine industry, all this while constantly fine tuning the positioning of the multi billion dollar state of the art HKJC training complex in Conghua.
Having worked with the man, he will relish the challenge.
If Pete’s move to head the NRL is a done deal, in the “race for glory” between two competitive leaders, the Aussie might appear to be just about leading the “competition”- but this is without understanding how the future of the Conghua brand in China might develop and blend into what the Greater Bay Area programme means.
I still live in Hong Kong and have no idea about how everything will come together and very much doubt others do either.
For the time being- and the time is being a very long time- the Greater Bay Area project remains a buzz phrase and perhaps purposely vague.
As for Pete’s successes to date, these have been creating the slots race that is The Everest, the world’s richest horse race along with what he has already achieved for the NRL.
His German counterpart, meanwhile, is no doubt ready to throw everything at his disposal to make Conghua in Mainland China that opens in October a bona fide racecourse showcasing real racing- but with no legalised betting- and quickly morphing into something much bigger and out of this world by bringing the equine world including equestrian events into its fold.
With the objective seemingly being to showcase and promote Conghua as the mothership of world class horse racing and equestrian events and attract an upmarket and select audience to what this is all about, it’s going to be very important in upgrading the overall ‘look’, feel and image of horse racing.
What’s needed is a Steven Spielberg type of storytelling that captures the imagination of people.
For the HKJC, it’s about having the right people in place to manage and improve on what is working at the racecourses in Shatin and Happy Valley, and very probably a different team to know how to use the Conghua brand and story to take the equine world where it’s never gone before.
If the races and overall “vibe” at Conghua can be branded as something built around “Bringing style back to horse racing”, this just might be the fillip horse racing needs to be seen as something with aspirational values.
This “return to style” positioning just might work in tandem with the rather dry drip feed of information received surrounding the evolution of the Conghua mothership which is being described as “an equine hub” and a “strategic platform” in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) programme.
From somewhat perhaps purposely vague communications, and the latest of these appearing last week in the SCMP, it appears that the HKJC is busily campaigning for the Conghua mothership to be the base for all things equine and very much be part of the GBA masterplan.
With this in mind, it appears to be fast tracking everything that is constantly coming down the line like some forgotten PS, all of which must be giving Wini sleepless nights.
Being somewhat of an obsessive control freak, who’s there on his team who can deliver what only he knows is needed?
It would be fair to say that Wini has pretty much everything riding on this- as does the HKJC with regards to its future and ongoing role in China.
Of course, though Wini has scored with his “revolutionary” World Pool, this is chump change compared to making Conghua the world’s best equine centre and something of Star Wars proportions.
Say what you want about them, Pete and Wini might seem to be a strange double act comprising two very strong and different personalities- but they cannot be ignored.
I for one am waiting with bated breath for Conghua to have liftoff and be something that is inspiring, and breaks new ground by capturing the imagination of everyone, and is not just another racing story that rides off into the desert like a horse with no name.
Dedicated to the memory of Sir Garfield Sobers.
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