Drivers' Colours or Not?

[Dot]

I guess we could tell them that they are missing out on an opportunity to progress their industry by making the horses wear jockeys colours rather then those of the owners / trainers.
I am surprised that a smart man like Peter Vlandys hasn't already woken to such a great idea.

Dot, you will of course know who this star galloper is by merely looking at the horse. The general public (including people in the street that have never been to the races) will also know her because they recognise the colours.

Trevor hows our industry going in the Illawarra/Shoalhaven now? How many trainers/horses left? Parking buses on the Bulli track now aren’t they? Have done for at least a few years now. There’s no comparison between our industry and the gallops, they are progressing, we’re not. Perhaps that’s shielded for you in NSW ( but not in the Illawarra) with Dumesny riding V’Landys coat tails on improvements such as race fields legislation and tax parity. Time to take the rose, or should I say, salmon, coloured glasses off and look more broadly at the facts and figures of our industry across the country, the KPIs if you will, not just back at history. Here’s just one for you, WA trotting held over 50% of market share 50 odd years ago when the WATAB was created, now, on the eve of its sale, around 13% of market share. Harold Park is gone, there’s no reason the whole industry will not in time follow suit unless we make ourselves more relevant in today’s sporting and wagering landscape.

I don’t know how many times this needs to be said, no one has said every horse has to wear driver colours all the time. That trainer/owner colours can no longer be used, or that champions cannot have their own unique silks created for them which in time can be immortalised in history. Just that increasing use of driver colours and and creating brands around drivers can better promote and market our sport and connect with people in this era and marketplace.

Of course horsemen or women can recognise Black Caviar for herself. Race fans likely will remember her colours, some of the public may too, but in all likelihood over time all many of the public will remember will be her name, and perhaps her incredible record as undefeated moreso then they will remember her colours.

But let’s go back to your previous example, Lonrho did begin his career in black silks before going onto race in Inghams more famous all cerise in which he is now remembered. Many horses in both codes have begun their career with different trainers and colours before going on to be remembered as champions for another trainer and in different colours. How would it be any different in history, if a future champion in our code commenced his or her career in driver colours before switching colours, as their star ascended, to the colours of their trainer or owner or indeed to colours uniquely their own.

[Messenger]

Trevor hows our industry going in the Illawarra/Shoalhaven now? How many trainers/horses left? Parking buses on the Bulli track now aren’t they? Have done for at least a few years now. There’s no comparison between our industry and the gallops, they are progressing, we’re not. Perhaps that’s shielded for you in NSW ( but not in the Illawarra) with Dumesny riding V’Landys coat tails on improvements such as race fields legislation and tax parity. Time to take the rose, or should I say, salmon, coloured glasses off and look more broadly at the facts and figures of our industry across the country, the KPIs if you will, not just back at history. Here’s just one for you, WA trotting held over 50% of market share 50 odd years ago when the WATAB was created, now, on the eve of its sale, around 13% of market share. Harold Park is gone, there’s no reason the whole industry will not in time follow suit unless we make ourselves more relevant in today’s sporting and wagering landscape.

I don’t know how many times this needs to be said, no one has said every horse has to wear driver colours all the time. That trainer/owner colours can no longer be used, or that champions cannot have their own unique silks created for them which in time can be immortalised in history. Just that increasing use of driver colours and and creating brands around drivers can better promote and market our sport and connect with people in this era and marketplace.

Of course horsemen or women can recognise Black Caviar for herself. Race fans likely will remember her colours, some of the public may too, but in all likelihood over time all many of the public will remember will be her name, and perhaps her incredible record as undefeated moreso then they will remember her colours.

But let’s go back to your previous example, Lonrho did begin his career in black silks before going onto race in Inghams more famous all cerise in which he is now remembered. Many horses in both codes have begun their career with different trainers and colours before going on to be remembered as champions for another trainer and in different colours. How would it be any different in history, if a future champion in our code commenced his or her career in driver colours before switching colours, as their star ascended, to the colours of their trainer or owner or indeed to colours uniquely their own.

Not just 'some'. A gracious writer would admit many are likely to recognize (like that word Dot) her colours if they saw a pic or clip

I see you are watering down how often/if /when you think these colours need to be used now

The Lonhro argument is another example of you not being gracious and ends up with you all over the place with your need 'to win' - just be satisfied with voicing an opinion

Tying your horse or should I say drivers colours to "make ourselves more relevant in today’s sporting and wagering landscape" is 100/1 to be the answer

I hope you enjoy my next post

[Messenger]

It is amazing what little coincidences life throws up
To put me to sleep each night I have been reading Local Rites by Paul Daffey
It is about his travels to country and suburban football matches in 2000
Each chapter visits a different town
Last night it was 'Land of the Danihers'
I have said run with it when a personality puts their hand up but the following is why it always has to be about the horse

On my left was an expansive pub of golden bricks, of the type favoured in New South Wales but never seen in Victoria, with Tooheys New signs in bold, black letters.
But on my right, smack in the centre of town, was the statue of Paleface Adios, the Temora Tornado, whose distinctive white blaze had failed to cross my mind for two decades.
Now it featured in recollections of Saturday nights at Moonee Valley, when, like many early teenagers around Essendon, I was too young to go to parties but somehow old enough to bet on the horses.
In one of several farewell races, Paleface Adios streamed four-wide down the straight to win in typically dramatic fashion, providing one of my earliest sporting highlights.
I wasn't sure that Ungarie would provide a sporting highlight but, after seeing the likeness of the lairy chestnut, who often seemed to have luck on his side,
I was satisfied that the long journey into a strange land would be worth my while

It could only be about a horse

(For a Vic who loves football, the book is a good read but being a 2001 publication may be hard to find)

[Dot]

Hi Dot
It's Adaptor !!!!! Check out the 1969 Miracle Mile film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj2XaRPn-8w

Very good Noel, it IS Adaptor !!!!! Thanks to your efforts and a number of others who share your dedication to our history I think we can be confident that a good deal of it will be preserved. How much of a future we will have to be similarly preserved in time is where the doubt lies.

[Dot]

Not just 'some'. A gracious writer would admit many are likely to recognize (like that word Dot) her colours if they saw a pic or clip

I see you are watering down how often/if /when you think these colours need to be used now

The Lonhro argument is another example of you not being gracious and ends up with you all over the place with your need 'to win' - just be satisfied with voicing an opinion

Tying your horse or should I say drivers colours to "make ourselves more relevant in today’s sporting and wagering landscape" is 100/1 to be the answer

I hope you enjoy my next post

Kev I think you, like many people interested in racing, over estimate the penetration that racing, even TB racing including champions such as Black Caviar and Winx has with the general public. It’s nowhere near what you seem to think. I’m not from a racing family, there is not and has not ever been anyone in my family interested in horses or racing. If I mentioned Black Caviar or Winx to any of my sisters I’d just get a blank stare, one niece would likely say I’ve heard of them, her husband the only one who would likely know anything about them and I’d very much doubt he’d remember the colours.

I spent my career in Aviation, 35 years, amongst a few hundred people in two states and several locations, and very few had any interest in horses or racing, less then 10% I’d estimate, though there were some punters amongst them. Aircraft, flying and travel predominated in their thoughts, the racing pages of the paper barely viewed ( except by me!) and the channel changed on the TV when the sports segment of the news went to racing. Black Caviar and Winx may have been able to draw thousands to the tracks they raced but of the millions of people in those cities many would have had little more then a passing interest the details of which will fade in time including any knowledge of the colours. So no I don’t believe “many” of the general public will recognise Black Caviars colors if they saw a picture. Vision of a race may be a better stimulus to memory.

Winx and Black Caviar may have brought 40 to 50 thousand to tracks in Sydney, V’Landys proposal to shine the Everest’s horses colours on the Sydney Opera House brought a petition effectively opposing racing with 300,000 signatures to parliament. We over estimate the general public’s interest and connection to racing at our peril.

No I haven’t watered down how often/if/when I think these colours should be used, the emotive response to the suggestion of using driver colours brought people charging in to post on an all or nothing, black or white, basis, on the use of driver colours only that was never suggested, and without considering the issue on a broader basis.

For someone who demands “documents” and “proof” don’t you think we should be dealing in facts? The facts are Lonrho raced in black colours as a juvenile before he donned the all cerise. I doubt anyone viewing his early races would be disappointed he wasn’t in the all cerise, the black colours, and Viscount in the all cerise, are part of his history and shouldn’t his true story be told?

“Tying your horse or should I say drivers colours to "make ourselves more relevant in today’s sporting and wagering landscape" is 100/1 to be the answer”

To be the entire answer Kev 100 to 1 is way unders but no one (bar you here) is suggesting more use of driver colours alone is “The” answer, just part of it and certainly amongst the conversations we need to be having in order to find pathways to secure our future. If there was to be one answer then I guess it would be to have investment levels and revenue streams equivalent to the gallops. How do you propose we achieve that?

Remember the furore coloured clothing and limited overs brought to cricket? And then 20/20 with its hectic pace, fireworks and miked up players? How did that change the landscape for cricket across the world? Did it end traditional test match cricket? No it breathed new interest and growth in that version of the game as well.

[Messenger]

Did you like how my football author had such vivid memories of a brief encounter with Paleface Adios decades after the event

I do not overestimate the interest in racing despite being the harness black sheep in a family that includes a bro-in-law that called more Melbourne Cups than any other but I cannot see the relevance of the question to wanting drivers colours as opposed to say trainers colours. The discussion on diverse public interests applies to everything - racing, aircraft, football, politics ....

So no I don’t believe “many” of the general public will recognise Black Caviars colors if they saw a picture
Your comprehension skills are good enough to realize you seemed to be talking about those who had followed the Black Caviar story 'recognizing' the colours not the general public or aviation industry but now it suits you to change your tack. Read the following in case you forgot what you wrote
"Of course horsemen or women can recognise Black Caviar for herself. Race fans likely will remember her colours, some of the public may too, but in all likelihood over time all many of the public will remember will be her name, and perhaps her incredible record as undefeated moreso then they will remember her colours."
IMO many who took even a brief interest will remember her name, her unbeaten record and recognize her colours

We have a system where different choices of colours are possible now but you would not want to have a system that was constantly swapping - it would do the viewing public and race-callers no favours
So you have to have a fall back - you want drivers' colours some don't

The nitpicking on Lonhro is ridiculous but you wanted to go back to the Lonhro colours rather than Winx and Black Caviar. My daughter's father in law had pink (not salmon) with black spots as his group's colours before Black Caviar and people sometimes mistake his winning photos for Black Caviar

CAN WE PLEASE JUST AGREE TO DISAGREE (I have a plane to catch)

Let's just find some media savvy/interesting drivers to use and do the occasional promotion all the while hoping our administrators are focusing on the bigger answers

ps I do not remember the WSC clothing causing any furore and I am afraid this fan of test and even one day cricket (how good/unlucky NZ) has never watched a 20/20 match

[Messenger]

STOP - before you go to post and reread

CAN WE PLEASE JUST AGREE TO DISAGREE

[Dot]

“Now it featured in recollections of Saturday nights at Moonee Valley, when, like many early teenagers around Essendon, I was too young to go to parties but somehow old enough to bet on the horses.
In one of several farewell races, Paleface Adios streamed four-wide down the straight to win in typically dramatic fashion, providing one of my earliest sporting highlights.“

“Did you like how my football author had such vivid memories of a brief encounter with Paleface Adios decades after the event”

Reads to me as if your football author had extensive experience of harness racing including Paleface Adios as a child and a brief encounter with a statue.......

[Messenger]

Of course it would to you Dot
But I notice you did not include the start in your quote - the part where he wrote :
[I]whose distinctive white blaze had failed to cross my mind for two decades./I]
It did not suit you - my god, I don't think I have ever debated with anyone less gracious

Another little tip you could take on board - he is an author - he would have done some research before publishing

[Dot]

Actually Kev I was going to write how he noticed the blaze but made no mention of the colours.

But I knew you would once again accuse me of being ungracious so I didn’t.

Of course he is an author, could have made the whole thing up!

I may as you say Kev be less then gracious in a debate but it’s people like me who keep you safe when you fly. Don’t miss your plane now.