MY CALL: V'LANDYS LEADS NSW CHARGE AS INTERSTATE RIVALRY REVS UP. VICTORIA CAUGHT OFF GUARD.

By David Fowler | Tuesday, December 11, 2018

David Fowler is the principal thoroughbred caller for Radio TAB. David, who is a keen form student and punter, has enjoyed a lifetime involvement in the racing media. His personal blog, ‘My Call’, appears exclusively on HRO.

Nothing stays the same forever.

And so it now applies to thoroughbred racing in the spring.

Melbourne's born to rule attitude that has existed from the middle of October to early November has vanished as quickly as Cinderella's coach.

And they were clearly caught off guard. The element of surprise and secrecy beforehand left the "Mexicans" flat-footed.

Some Melbourne city club administrators sensibly offered genuine praise while others spouted weasel words to try and mask their anger. They failed.

I liken it to Jerry Seinfeld gritting his teeth and barking "Newman" when his adversary is behind another plot to upset him. Erase Newman and subtract "V'Landys" in our sitcom.

Yet this situation is real and not entertainment.

Victoria grizzled about The Everest and poured as much cold water on it until the tap stopped flowing.

Ultimately it was successful in 2017 and then an even greater success this year

Lumbering off the starting blocks after that gazumping, the Vics eventually came up with a good prospect in the $5 million All Star Mile.

That would be it, they would have thought. Tit for tat, if you like.

But they didn't, and still don't, properly understand Peter V'Landys.

He is ruthless in a legal way.

The Everest's success only sated the appetite.

And no rules have been broken in the second round of gazumping. This is a point of some significance.

Racing administrators flirt with the idea of a national approach but it's there in name only.

States run their business with a fierce brand of jealousy and last time I checked V'Landy's paycheque is signed off by Racing New South Wales.

The protesters cry that "it is always Melbourne in the spring"

For one simple reason. No one ever challenged it.

Victoria ruled over an imaginary fiefdom and V'Landys and co. blew it wide apart.

The Everest and Caulfield Guineas day has worked well in tandem as will The Golden Eagle and the Victoria Derby.

They will flock to Rosehill to watch The Golden Eagle and soak in Derby day atmosphere at Flemington at the same time and vice versa south of the border.

To restate, no rules were broken because there were none there in the first place.

And to think the idea was half pinched off the poor old trots who have championed four-year-old racing for yonks and where V'Landys had his grounding in racing administration.

"NEWMAN" !!!!!!!!!!!

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HRO UPDATE:

Now it’s open warfare with Tabcorp announcing that it will not be involved as a sponsor in Racing NSW’s latest initiative, the $7.5 million Golden Eagle.

Tabcorp was expected to be a major player in the promotion but they had not signed any contract with Racing NSW at the time the race was announced and they subsequently made the decision not to become involved in the sponsorship of the new race and have notified Racing NSW of their decision.

Racing NSW’s CEO Peter V’Landys was unimpressed with Tabcorp’s actions suggesting that Victorian racing, which is against the latest NSW initiative, had influenced the Tabcorp decision.

“Tabcorp is a national company and not a Victorian company and we have strong relationships with them. They should be concerned this doesn’t destroy them,’’ V’Landys said, as quoted in The Age newspaper.

A Tabcorp spokesman refused to comment on ‘commercial negotiations’ while Racing Victoria officials, some of whom were quite vocal at the time of the Golden Eagle’s announcement, retreated behind a wall of … “The commercial arrangements between Tabcorp and Racing NSW are matters for them. It not something we intend to comment on.”

David Fowler