IS POLARISING PETE THE BEST RACING ADMINISTRATOR AUSTRALIA HAS SEEN?
Peter V'Landys has the capacity to polarise people.
There's those who love him and there's those who loath him with his bullishness and 'my way or the highway' attitude earning him both plaudits and brickbats during his 14 year tenure as Racing NSW CEO.
However, if the question hasn't already been asked and answered, following the success of The Everest last weekend; "Is Peter V'Landys the greatest Administrator in the moern era of Australian racing?"
Some of the successful battles he's fought on behalf of the NSW Racing Industry have included Equine Influenza, Race Field Legislation, Tax Parity, the management of World Youth Day and more recently his vision for The Everest.
Along the way the criticism has flowed like the Murray River (in a good year) but, like the proverbial water off a duck's back, criticism only serves as an even more powerful motivator to the boss down at Racing NSW HQ.
He's a powerful man Peter V'Landys AM, with plenty of pull in the media along with the powers that be in Macquarie Street, Canberra, and there's also the pretty well-founded suggestion he all-but runs the TAB.
But, no matter what you may say or think about Peter V'Landys, he Delivers and that's with a capital 'D'.
It's certainly tough to argue, if he's not the best Racing Administrator Australia has seen, he's very close to it.
Just take a brief look at his resume when it comes to dealing with the REALLY BIG issues;
EQUINE INFLUENZA (2007)
He oversaw the containment of EI and was then the integral player in the resurrection of the NSW Racing Industry which had been brought to its knees. Thoroughbred, harness and leisure horse industries were affected by EI with racing in NSW shut down racing in NSW for the second half of 2007. It was V'Landys who personally negotiated with Prime Minister John Howard, and many others, to successfully deliver a $235m rescue package to the Racing Industry funded by the Federal and State Governments.
WORLD YOUTH DAY (2008)
It was V'landys who negotiated a $40m compensation package to the NSW Racing Industry for the disruption caused by World Youth Day 2008 when the NSW Government and Catholic Church announced WYD2008 would be held in Sydney and centred at Randwick Racecourse.
V'landys argued World Youth Day 2008 would greatly affect the activities and livelihoods of Racing Industry participants and his efforts were rewarded with a significant compensation package for the NSW Racing Industry.
RACE FIELD LEGISLATION (2008)
Peter V'Landys was the prime-mover in driving the Race Field Legislation which was enacted in 2008 in NSW and subsequently implemented across Australia.
In essence, The Legislation made it illegal for betting operators to use the NSW Race Fields without approval and, with that approval came a significant cost to those wishing to bet on the three racing codes in NSW.
After initially being challenged in court by two major wagering operators the Race Field Legislation stood and $150m in accrued funds were eventually distributed to the NSW Racing Industry with up to $50m being delivered every year since.
TRACKSIDE (2010)
It was V'Landys who negotiated the sale of NSW Thoroughbred Racing Industry's future revenues from the computer-generated Trackside to TAB Ltd. The sale of its 17 percent share in Trackside's net profit returned the NSW Racing Industry $150m, resulting in funds being delivered for the development of the new facilities at Randwick Racecourse.
TAX PARITY
It was just on two years ago Peter V'Landys and the then Racing NSW Chairman John Messara AM who vigorously negotiated with the NSW Government to reduce the tax on tote and fixed odds betting through TAB Ltd to bring it into line with the tax rate paid in Victoria.
The reduction is still being implemented but the NSW racing industry is expected to receive an additional $70m a year.
THE EVEREST
When The Everest was announced on February 1 with prizemoney of $10m on offer it was just days after the inaugural $12m Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park.
The Pegasus sounded good, but the reality was it was more a joke with a couple of superstars taking on some also-rans, nothing but sloggers up against the US champs Arrogate and California Chrome.
Taking The Pegasus into account I, like many were cynical that The Everest concept was viable when announced as a joint venture between Racing NSW and the ATC.
However, like most things Peter V'Landys has a hand in, The Everest turned to gold for the NSW Racing Industry.
Last Saturday V'Landys and Darren Pearce, CEO at the ATC, delivered a world-class product which will only be surpassed by the Melbourne Cup in betting turnover and excitement.
It was unquestionably a phenomenal success and, remarkably, took just over nine months from announcement of the concept to the ultimate delivery.
What Racing NSW and the ATC were able to achieve starting from scratch captured the imagination of, not only Sydney but the entire Australian racing public, and even had the majority of the racing world looking on with great interest at the $10m event.
Sure, there's a long way to go to match Melbourne in Cup week, but The Cup is unique and is an event unrivalled anywhere in the world as it literally does stop the nation.
But what was achieved last Saturday, and in the weeks and months leading up to The Everest was nothing short of remarkable.
With betting turnover on The Everest expected to be second only to the Melbourne Cup you can only say it was a raging success, and yet another feather in the cap of Peter V'Landys and, on this occasion Darren Pearce.
So, after The Everest the question now is, "what's the next mountain for Peter V'Landys to climb?"
NOW … ONTO THE EVEREST!
While Redzel was fantastic winning The Everest I thought there was no doubt, with a better barrier and run in transit, the runner-up Vega Magic should have won.
He was drawn out in barrier 10 and I, for one, was expecting he'd go forward and sit just off the speed.
Unfortunately, the fly in the ointment was Fell Swoop who I doubted would race as forward as he did, sitting up three-deep outside the leaders and in doing so forcing Craig Williams' hand aboard Vega Magic.
Fell Swoop had drawn barrier eight with the speedy Deploy to his inside so my expectation was Fell Swoop would drop just off the speed behind Deploy. Vega Magic would then get a cart across with Deploy and sit on the speed.
As it panned out Craig Williams had to go back further than anticipated and then get to the wrong part of the track in making his run topping the rise.
The race was all but over when Vega Magic got going and to get as close as he did to Redzel at the finish was a sensational performance.
Still it was full credit to Redzel, he's bullet proof and deserved the win but I for one want to back Vega Magic against any sprinter in the land the next time he goes around.
FOLLOW ME – Royal Symphony only finished fourth in the Caulfield Guineas on Saturday but nothing went right for the horse and while he was well beaten on the line the run suggested he's a horse now looking for longer.
I had concerns about him around Caulfield after his three wins at Flemington and I reckon they were justified on what he produced in the Guineas and his previous outing in the Prelude.
Connections have confirmed he's heading to the Cox Plate and is a real chance of finding the placings behind Winx.
Provided he comes through that I'd love to see him back at his preferred Flemington for the Victoria Derby, a race in which he's currently a $10 chance.
FORGET ME – Sheidel has failed six times since winning the Oakleigh Plate and she looked perfectly placed to return to the winner's circle at Caulfield on Saturday but was found wanting after getting what appeared a soft enough lead.
She's taken on the best for a good while now and maybe the six-year-old is starting to feel the effects of all those tough contests against some of the best sprinters around.
