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That is largely thanks to social media creators, in particular Englishman Stephen Power, who has set the Victorian racing scene alight since touching down in Melbourne last week. Watch live coverage of the 2025 Spring Racing Carnival events with Racing.com available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. Power, better known as The Racing Blogger, was flown into Australia to help promote the major Victorian races of the Spring Carnival. The Englishman rose from total obscurity to become arguably the biggest racing influencer in the world, boasting more than 220,000 followers on X. Early on, his superconfident, almost cocky style raised some eyebrows, with even his social media accounts suspended at one point in time. But since arriving Down Under on a one-month Aussie horse racing extravaganza, the message from Australian punters has been clear: Power is the best thing to happen to horse racing in this country. On his page, Power claims he is “The Best Content In Horse Racing History” and “I Changed The Game”, and Australia seems to agree. After the first weekend of Power in Australia, the social media reaction has been huge, and the consensus is in. He is great for the sport. Sky Racing commentator Ron Dufficy wrote: “Ok, I’m convinced Bloggers win over Influencers.” Punter Herbert Hodgson said: “Racing Twitter is very rarely united, but there’s no doubt @racingblogger has done that. Outstanding content and promotion of the great game, and a good reminder that nothing trumps genuine love of the horse and the punt. Good stuff.” Australian Bloodstock wrote: “The best-performed import of the Carnival. Outstanding get. Showcasing our big races and participants like never seen before. Hasn’t stopped since landing! Big motor.” Even legendary horse racing trainer Chris Waller was thrilled to have him in attendance, giving an interview after Via Sistina won the Cox Plate on Saturday. When the iconic trainer was asked by Power if he could come check out his operation, Waller said: “It would be an absolute honour to have you and your followers, which is a great tribute to you.” “Thank you for what you do and for your support. I would love to have you one day.” You can watch his interview with Chris Waller in the player at the top of the page. How the horse racing industry has evolved While Power is arguably the biggest name in horse racing media, he is not the only one in the space to have built a mass following in recent years. Prominent Australian tipster Benny Scarf has emerged from nowhere to become arguably the most influential personality in Australian racing, courtesy of his 220,000-strong Instagram following. Dubbing himself “God of Punt”, he shot to fame last year by placing ever-larger bets based off his follower count, 5c per follower to be exact. It is a gimmick popularised by Kiwi blackjack sensation Tim Myers, aka Tim Naki. And talking to news.com.au earlier this year Scarf says his type of content is what punters want. “To give people a journey to follow is quite engaging,” Scarf said. “We have made gambling interesting and an opportunity for people to live through our gambling journeys. It is the theatre of the whole thing — from the hook, visuals and the personality we have also. “I went to the races when I was 18 and fell in love with the theatre ever since.” Racing NSW implemented the Everest in 2017, as well as gearing events to the next generation, a move that has seen a surge in racegoers. Stats from last year showed an average of 74 per cent of general admission attendees for the event in recent years have been under the age of 35. And the fact is horse racing is thriving, and media personalities in the space are helping attract a younger audience. According to the 2025 Horse Racing Global Report, the global racing market is set to exceed $647 billion in 2025. And it is only predicted to get bigger, with projections estimating the industry will grow 9 per cent year-on-year for at least the next four years. A large part of that comes from gambling, with the sport a punters dream. With people having easy access to cash, a phone almost always in their hands and short attention spans, horse racing fits the bill perfectly, with some races over in under a minute and races often every couple of minutes each afternoon. While on track in Australia, tracks have built a sense of community and provide a fun day out. Punters get dressed up to the nines, can enjoy fashion shows, live music and even find the love of their life. And with the likes of Power giving everyday Aussies a sneak peek, the sport is likely to only go from strength to strength.
