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.
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.
Read Betsy’s power list so far here:
6. JOHN KANGA
All hail King Kanga.
Out of nowhere, John Kanga stormed into prominence following a period of upheaval at the Melbourne Racing Club and is undoubtedly the most recognised and powerful operator in any of the Victorian clubs, and there is even a belief he could be set for even greater influence outside the MRC.
It’s hard to believe that until just this week, Kanga has never actually faced a potential vote from members.
Kanga replaced Shanyn Puddy in 2023 after she suddenly left her coveted board position following what seemed like a fun race day at Flemington.
Kanga, as it stands, is the King of Caulfield.
He was re-elected unopposed to the board this week, with not enough nominations to even force a vote. Considering some of his critics had plenty of time to organise a single candidate, it further solidifies his power base.
Kanga is essentially the executive chairman of probably the most important club in Victoria – the MRC is cashed up, with diversified income streams away from racing, [which the club has previously said actually loses close to $20m a year], that operates two important race tracks in Caulfield and Sandown – plus it also runs Mornington.
Kanga is mostly loved by members and punters, and his secret? He actually engages with members!
Kanga made his money through banking and finance but says he has always been a racing man.
He owns a horse with Collingwood coach Craig McRae, counts leading jockeys as friends and clients, and works the media like a seasoned politician.
Kanga refers to himself in the third person, hates committee rooms but loves walking the lawns talking to punters.
He is an articulate and slick media performer who tackles low hanging fruit that gets him kudos like cheaper food and beer – as one of his fans told Betsy ‘’his approach to popularity ain’t rocket science”.
Kanga’s rise in prominence started with a close working relationship with breeder and Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners Association chairman Jonathan Munz when problems emerged with the redevelopment at Caulfield.
The club had long been fighting between themselves over which direction it should go – sell and develop Sandown to fund the club’s masterplan, or keep the track, regarded by some as a jewel in racing’s crown and arguably the city’s best racing surface.
As Munz and others took an interest in the MRC, suddenly an opportunity for change emerged.
Then former chairman Matt Cain indicated he was done. Kanga seized the moment, launching a special motion to spill the board. It was never voted on, but an MRC election saw Kanga’s allies elected and suddenly he was King [or more accurately, chairman].
Those who remained on the board not seen as aligned to Kanga during the election soon moved on, either by their own choice or by gentle encouragement.
By the end of 2024, there was a new CEO and many of the executive had left.
The MRC, and in some ways racing in Victoria, was in a new era.
Sandown’s future was assured, the controversial mounting yard was shifted back to its original position and the message was clear – the old ways were done, mistakes were made, [never mind quite a few of the current board voted for the so-called errors], but now Kanga is in charge.
The best example of the charming, and sometimes brutal, ways Kanga can operate was the removal of short-lived CEO Tom Reilly.
Kanga spruiked the hiring of Reilly, who was also close to Munz, in early 2025, but Reilly didn’t even hang around long enough to see a Spring Carnival.
Reilly nearly got the RV CEO gig – some say the recruitment firm even favoured him as the top candidate – but he missed out.
Cracks started to appear early in Reilly’s reign but word has it that Reilly and Kanga eventually fell out over a couple of issues.
His removal was swift – media were briefed and the message of the departure carefully curated even before Reilly had a chance to clean out his office.
As with every reign, Kanga has his critics. Barb Saunders quit the board, citing a lack of transparency and board governance. Others too have hit out [mostly privately of course, racing really seems to know no other way].
There are a few powerful Melburnians with ties into the club keeping their powder dry on how the club is tracking.
Punters however couldn’t care less about racing power games – the joint is cheaper to access and enjoy, they’ll leave the politics to the time rich.
But as every storm passes, Kanga remains, and now many are posing the question – could he reign over other clubs too?
Senior staff at at least one track fear it could materialise. Kanga had spoken openly about working closely with other clubs. Those ambitions were revealed by The Age, who highlighted a meeting between the VRC and Kanga at Munz’s Toorak home.
The meeting leaked, causing more internal uproar than the fact the meeting happened in the first place, and now both clubs say it’s going nowhere. Exactly what the MRC offered the VRC is fascinating in itself, [and again, the subject of ridiculous rumours], and while both clubs say there is no merger in the works, RV is keen for clubs to work closer in a bid to save cash.
Kanga’s entry into the racing sphere has shaken up how the sport is run and, importantly, how administrations communicate to their members and core constituents. Even Kanga’s foes acknowledge his impact and raised expectations on how to communicate with members. He is a master networker with a deft touch to do a deal.
It’s also worth considering Kanga’s contribution comes without a pay cheque. With a club with the healthiest bank balance by far, it will be fascinating to see where his reign takes him and Victoria’s richest club.
