It is an indictment on Racing Australia and, to a lesser extent, Australia’s eight Principal Racing Authorities that there is no free, searchable, definitive online resource for Australian thoroughbred racing facts and figures.
Want to know the fillies which have won the Blue Diamond Stakes? Or the Oakleigh Plate record of Mick Price-trained gallopers? Or something as simple as Damien Oliver’s wins? In spite of the best efforts of several private enterprises, most notably old boy Racing and Sports and new kid Form Focus, good luck finding an accurate answer to any of those questions without spending many hours conducting inquiries.
I am a long-time user of the Racing and Sports database that Gary Crispe and his team have collated over numerous years, and I am a financial contributor to Form Focus, which is Malcolm McLaren’s labour of love. According to McLaren, Form Focus aims to fulfil an ambitious vision to provide the industry with an online resource that documents, celebrates and honours Australia’s greatest races, thoroughbreds, trainers and jockeys. I love what McLaren, Crispe and others are doing in the space, but I hate there is a need for their hard grind because Australia’s thoroughbred racing authorities are absolving themselves of responsibility for the task.
The Australian Stud Book, which Racing Australia manages, is good, but it is subject to an annual subscription fee of $37.95, and its functionality needs some tender loving care. However, the rest of Racing Australia’s online offerings are nowhere near Group One class, and the same goes for most of those specific to Australia’s states and territories.
The Australian thoroughbred racing industry is pumping many millions of dollars into pop-up races, including several of questionable merit. A free, searchable, definitive online resource for Australian thoroughbred racing facts and figures would add greater value to the industry than most pop-up races, it need not cost a fortune and I think I know someone who would be up for managing the mega project.
I would love you to visit my blog every day for its daily serve of fresh content. But I would love you more if you hired me. I am well-bred, by Racing Post out of WA Turf Club. I am well-rounded, a winner over many courses and distances. And I am well-placed, available to add value to your existing team. Do the form on a racing, wagering and communications thoroughbred at markworwood.com.
