Greys, trots alliance can boost bargaining power for both codes

IMAGINE a world, if you might, where harness racing and greyhound racing became unlikely bedfellows.

It’s a concept I’ve imagined many, many times over the last 10 years, increasingly so in the past four or five.

As somebody with a profound interest in human behaviour and the factors that define our belief systems I’ve often reflected upon the role of mythology as a means of control.

As kids, we’re told that good deeds and honest living will be rewarded, when most that acquire significant wealth and power do so via ruthless ambition and veiled treachery.

We’re advised that hard work will lead to security and status, that academics are smarter than ourselves, and all life’s answers are found through education.

We’re told that faith will preclude suffering and sweet-hearted boys will always, eventually, land the idealised girls of their dreams.

These, however, are just the personal pretensions and deceits which moderate our lives.

Far broader ones also permeate the structures and standards of life as we know it.

One such deceit is thus.

That, courtesy of the market-share model under which Australian racing operates, all three codes, by their very nature, must view one another as mortal, malignant enemies.

Like most myths, however, it’s well worth investigating who, or what, is really served by creating such a remorselessly competitive culture.

By setting the gallops, trots and greys against one another the way they have, the very same overlords referenced in my previous yarn, believe they’ll inspire excellence.

That by inciting the kind of sibling rivalry so prevalent in Greek Mythology, or more recently characterised in outstanding drama Succession and the Murdoch family upon which it was based, the cream would rise to the top.

And how’s that all working out?

I’ll give you a summary on where we’re at, from my perspective at least.

While everyone has been scratching and scraping for ‘market share’, or, in basic terms, the biggest piece of pie possible; the pie itself has shrunk.

Not by a bit either.

What was once perhaps a Family Pie from Ferguson Plarre is now about standard size and is fast heading toward Party Pie status, minus the ‘dead horse’.

All the while, the average punting dollar – once dedicated to racing – has been tamely thieved by the broader leviathan that is popular sport.

So, just to recap, driven by overlords that once filled their bellies, the three Australian racing codes continue to claw maniacally at one another as less and less tucker remains on the menu.

How then, do they wake from their slumbers and address the deteriorating circumstances with which they are faced?

Could all three codes band together in an amazingly egalitarian collective bargaining bid, thus wresting control from the overlords that have sought to control them?

Romantic and sentimental as this sounds, the fact remains that thoroughbred racing has already cut many of their overlord cords and is unlikely to see the benefit in any menage-a-trois with the trots or the greys.

But what about the trots and the greys creating their own ANZUS agreement of sorts?

Both codes know what it’s like to be bullied.

It wasn’t so long ago that greyhound racing was the runt of the litter, a role now sadly occupied by harness racing if we return to that miserly market share measure many times mentioned above.

As someone that’s worked extensively in both codes, it’s also worth noting how similar they are regarding participant personality.

Both the trots and the greys are laden with straight talking, salt-of-the-earth, hard grafting legends.

Consider the concept of these two joining forces, on almost every level, for more than a moment, and suddenly, at least in my case, it makes incredible sense.

Imagine the boost in power and potential which could materialise if HRV and GRV alone poured resources into creating their own vision, cross promoting their products, developing their own media distribution and programming to highlight one another’s features.

This is to say nothing of their bargaining power when dealing with those same overlords who have religiously relished ‘punishing’ one or the other for daring to stray in terms of sponsorship or other commercial innovations which displeased them.

Sending one code or another to the sin-bin is easy, you see.

Sending both that way – not so much.

And, no matter which way you analyse the pro/con ratio involved for each code, I would implore anyone to tell me how a joint venture such as this (an ACTUAL joint venture) doesn’t present more pros than cons for both parties involved.

What do you think? Let us know on X (@PacesettersAU) or on our Facebook page

NB: We’ll discuss more on the Tongue Tie Off Podcast. Don’t forget to FOLLOW the show and if you have a couple of seconds, please take the time to give us a five-star rating as it helps others find the pod and boosts the sport’s profile.