Betsy is publishing its top ten power lists for both NSW and Victoria, detailing the key powerbrokers in racing and their key relationships.
Some on these lists will be household names – there are others that punters will have never heard of.
But they are all crucial players in an industry worth billions of dollars.
The list is not designed to highlight those in positions of power or roles that give them prominence, it’s created to have a look at those who actually have an impact, with the ability to shape crucial decisions on how racing in Australia is run, and crucially, how punters are treated as a result.
9. PETER V’LANDYS
He needs no introduction. The boss of NSW racing and chairman of the National Rugby League, V’landys remains a towering figure in the Australian racing scene.
His battles with Victoria have been well documented.
It’s hard to pinpoint when tensions first rose. The flame was likely lit years ago by battles around programming and Group 1 status of certain races across Australia [and the role of Victoria in that process].
But most agree the war was well and truly on when V’Landys created and implemented new races that directly impacted the Victorian Spring carnival.
The result is arguably one of the world’s great races in the Everest and the ongoing battle with Racing Victoria.
The scenes of a packed out Randwick, with young Sydneysiders, is the envy of every state.
How good.
Sweet Caroline in full.
It’s time for The Everest. @racing_nsw @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/T82aHw4ICP
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 19, 2024
RV tried its own version of a pop-up race, the All-Star Mile, that is now slowly edging its way into irrelevance with multiple cuts to prize money.
But why is PVL so powerful in Victoria?
To put it simply, even though he resides up north, he has lived rent free in the minds of too many powerful Victorian administrators, past and present.
He famously fell out with former RV CEO Andrew Jones, then sued RV and other states when he got wind they might start an alternative to Racing Australia.
Racing Victoria board members and senior staff spent countless hours trying to guess his next move, complaining endlessly about his tactics or trying to make decisions that attempted to nullify whatever Racing NSW was up to next.
At one stage, every announcement by RV was kept in such levels of secrecy the Pentagon would have been impressed – and the reason was just so V’landys wouldn’t find out, worried he’d beat them with an even bigger announcement.
RV, especially during COVID, proudly announced significant prize money increases to keep pace with V’landys.
V’landys, meanwhile, went on to create new races that directly impacted traditional Victorian events.
The Golden Eagle was probably the race that upset the Victorians the most. It was seen by most as a direct attack on the Cox Plate and subsequent Cup Carnival.
PVL’s response? He made the Golden Eagle worth $10 million.
Such was the obsession with V’landys at certain times, any mention of him or his races on RV’s racing.com had to be justified.
One leading Victorian administrator even blamed V’landys for the struggles of the All-Star Mile, believing NSW trainers were wary of supporting the race and upsetting V’landys.
As relations temporarily improved in 2024, as he and RV worked on the pattern [after a a productive discussion in V’Landys corporate box at the State of Origin], many believe V’landys views managed to influence who RV chose as their next CEO.
Betsy has been told the NSW boss’ views were so strong on one candidate, that RV was warned by some close to him that if that if this certain person got the job, it could be a significant blow to relations.
That candidate was wisely not chosen.
Even when choosing RV’s next chairman, I was widely told Victoria needed someone to stand-up to V’landys.
Many viewed it as one of the most important parts of the role.
As it happens, V’landys told Newscorp’s Ben Dorries that RV chairman Tim Eddy is a ‘’good guy’’ who listens. Probably one of the nicest things he has said about a racing official in Victoria.
V’landy’s inclusion on such a list, [which is obviously subjective and a bit of fun], isn’t designed to celebrate his wins or losses or even agitate Victorians. It’s purely a fact that the NSW boss has, directly or not, led to changes or decisions made surrounding Victorian racing. Because without ever stepping foot down south, V’landys remains a thorn in the side of RV.
V’landys’ presence, willingness to ignore some of the racing traditions, and his unapologetic drive to make NSW the top of the racing tree have allowed him, directly or not, to have significant influence in Victorian racing.
