The Racing Blogger, who’s X following has grown to an impressive 175K followers, which now exceeds Matt Chapman’s 143K base. Stephen Power, the man behind the account, started as a passionate racing fan and evolved into a key figure that many see as racing’s future voice.
His access to prestigious events like the Arc de Triomphe and interviews with racing’s biggest names has definitely split opinions in the sport. Young racing fans love Stephen Power’s entertaining approach to racing content more than traditional form-book analysis. But his reputation has taken hits from accusations of deleting losing bets and posting fake photos, which led to several Twitter suspensions.
The racing blogger shares similarities with sports stars like Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather – creating content that entertains and stirs controversy equally. This piece dives into Power’s experience, his influence on the sport, and tackles a crucial question that has ended up defining his presence: Does he help or harm horse racing?
The Rise of Stephen Power: From Fan to Racing Blogger
Stephen Power’s story in racing started in a setting many fans can relate to. As a young boy in Ireland, he became fascinated by horse racing while sitting on his grandmother’s floor playing with Power Rangers. His grandmother Mary’s reaction to a winning bet caught his eye, screaming “ahh go on, go on for feck’s sake” at the television as her 10-1 shot romped home. This moment sparked something special when she took young Stephen to collect £550 from the bookmakers and gave him £20 of the winnings.
“I was hooked for life there and then. I wanted some of the action. A young Racing Blogger was born,” Power recalls about this memory.
Early days and first steps into racing media
The racing blogger’s story truly began after his grandfather passed away. He took a solo trip to Kempton Park Racecourse – his first racing visit since the loss. The inspiration hit him as he sat flipping through a race card in the restaurant.
“I got a race card, I’m in the restaurant, and I’m flicking through the card, and it says join us on Twitter. I’d never heard of Twitter, believe it or not,” Power explains in his documentary. He created his famous moniker right there.
His first content lacked polish – he filmed himself eating steak in the restaurant, said “Hi everyone, it’s the racing blogger here,” and shared his picks for upcoming races. He spoke to no one at first with zero followers, but that cold Kempton Monday became the start of his soaring success.
How social media changed the game
Power stood out from traditional racing enthusiasts because he saw social media’s potential. Racing often stuck to old ways, but he saw a chance to show the sport differently.
“I believe that I can showcase this sport in a light that many others can’t, hence the reason I built up such a strong following in a short period,” Power states.
His simple strategy worked well:
- Creating video content when few did
- Getting access to racing personalities through persistence
- Making entertaining content instead of just analysis
- Building connections with younger audiences who enjoyed racing socially
Social media has reshaped the racing scene. One industry report states, “Social media has democratised the coverage of horse racing, allowing not only journalists and broadcasters but also racing enthusiasts, owners, and trainers to contribute their perspectives”. Power made the most of this change.
A 2017 Racing Post feature quoted him saying, “I want more followers on Twitter than Matt Chapman and to be compared to racing royalty Nick Luck and Big Mac one day!”. By 2024, his goal became reality with 175K followers compared to Chapman’s 143K.
Power’s success went beyond follower counts. “Racing must wise up and wise up fast. Move with the times and understand the world is changing – racing cannot stay set in stone,” he insisted. His unique content style bridged racing’s traditions with younger fans’ digital world in ways traditional media couldn’t match.
What Makes the Racing Blogger So Influential?
The racing blogger emerges as a rare bridge between tradition and breakthroughs in an industry often labelled as “dying” and unable to attract fresh talent. Stephen Power has found his unique place in horse racing by grasping something many traditional media outlets missed – sports coverage needs personality and entertainment.
Connecting with younger audiences
Horse racing faces one of its most important challenges – attracting young fans. Racing hasn’t offered student discounts like football or cricket, which makes youth participation difficult. Young fans also view racing differently than older generations. We watched them seek entertainment and social experiences rather than study form books.
“Racing as a whole is a dying sport and we need to bring in a younger audience, a younger generation,” Power states in his documentary. This belief shapes his entire approach.
The racing blogger’s effectiveness with young audiences comes from his relatability. His content reflects what many young men see in themselves – a casual fan who enjoys racing days with friends, places occasional bets, and values fun over deep racing knowledge. His brand thrives on authenticity rather than technical expertise.
His social media presence reaches over 70,000 followers across Twitter and Instagram. These numbers show his strong connection with demographics that traditional racing media don’t deal with very well. His following grew naturally from his deep understanding of what young audiences want from racing content.
Young fans gravitate to the racing blogger for several reasons:
- His entertaining style stands out from traditional coverage
- Content that captures racing’s emotional and social aspects
- Simple language instead of technical jargon
- Live track presence creates immersive experiences
“I think if you can get the why, you can get the emotions behind the game, and I think I bring that out on camera,” Power explains. Young audiences who value genuine over polished content find this emotional connection powerful.
Blending entertainment with racing culture
The racing blogger’s success stems from understanding that sports coverage must entertain first. “I really get a huge adrenaline kick out of creating world-class content,” he says, highlighting his viewer-first mindset.
His method combines racing traditions with entertainment elements that make the sport more available. Power emphasises racing’s unique access compared to football, where fans stay “confined to their chair” – “you can stand right next to the jockey… you can get an autograph, do a vlog”. This viewpoint turns racing from a distant event into an interactive experience.
“At the end of the day, there’s nothing wrong with that,” an industry observer notes about Power’s young male fanbase who might “withdraw £200 from the ATM before heading to the track” and are “happy to blow that on booze, bets and whatever else they like”. This practical view of racing’s social appeal marks a transformation from traditional marketing’s focus on form and heritage.
His content creation reveals an entertainment-first philosophy: “I’m trying to get it in an order that tells a magical story… that’s the art of being a storyteller, almost writing a book in the right chapters”. This storytelling approach elevates racing footage beyond simple documentation.
The racing blogger proves that influence grows from connection, not just expertise, in today’s digital world. Power’s success shows racing’s future depends on people who can showcase excitement alongside tradition, especially when traditional media outlets find evolution challenging.
Controversies and Criticism: The Other Side of Fame
Stephen Power’s rise as a racing social media star has a darker side beneath all the glitz and glamour. This racing blogger’s journey to fame comes with plenty of pushback from racing world experts.
Accusations of fake bets and affiliate deals
People have raised serious questions about Power’s betting content. His critics say he:
- Removes losing bets from his social media profiles
- Makes his winning bets look bigger and “apparently always gets 3-1 about every even-money shot he backs”
- Uses fake photos and copyrighted content
- Makes videos promoting bets with odds lower than what Betfair offers
Critics believe Power has hidden deals with bookmakers. Many forum users ask, “Exactly who is funding him?”. Some say he’s “obviously funded by a few bookmakers and an airline who are using him as a cheap marketing gimmick”.
These claims worry many people about his influence. One critic points out, “If I had an 18- 25yo son who was following him, I’d be very very concerned”. This suggests his content might lead younger viewers toward irresponsible gambling.
Public feuds and industry pushback
The racing world hasn’t been kind to this blogger. He faced “a vicious backlash from some quarters on social media”, and Twitter even suspended his account. Power laughs it off, saying he and “Miss Blogger” often “sit and laugh at them… while drinking a nice coffee”. Yet these conflicts go beyond simple online trolling.
His most famous clash happened with ITV racing pundit Matt Chapman during the Cheltenham Festival. Power responded to their disagreement by jokingly offering “to fight Matt Chapman”. Some see this confrontational style as typical of an “influencer” who “just wants to stir up stuff and shout louder to get a voice”.
Racecourses also have issues with Power’s filming practices. He talks about his “frustration with the objection of media right owners to his filming on-course”. This shows the clash between old-school media and his new approach.
All the same, Power keeps “marching on undaunted”. His way of handling criticism while staying true to his style shows why he remains such a divisive yet enduring figure in horse racing media.
The Business Behind the Persona
Beyond the selfie sticks and charismatic presence, financial questions loom over the racing blogger’s business model. Many fans want to know how Stephen Power turned his racing passion into a sustainable business.
The racing blogger’s net worth: speculation vs reality
The debates about Power’s financial success centre on his betting results. Critics have guessed that “in the early days, the Racing Blogger definitely lost money. Quite a bit”. He reportedly “posted numerous Accas and short odds favourites that got beaten, and some more that he deleted after they got beaten”.
Some believe his industry connections might now give him profitable information. One industry observer pointed out that “with the amount of time now that he has spent in and around the racing industry, it would make sense that he must know a fair bit about the game”.
Doubts remain about his betting profitability, and some say “the jury is still out on whether he makes the game pay or not”. This has sparked wider interest in his actual revenue streams beyond gambling.
Monetisation through content, partnerships, and access
Power’s real business smarts shine through content creation rather than betting. His money-making strategy has:
- Sponsored content for bookmakers and racing organisations
- Paid media assignments from entities like France Gallop
- Brand partnerships and affiliate marketing arrangements
- Exclusive access monetisation
His rise matches successful racing bloggers who confirm that “a horse racing blog can be a lucrative endeavour… Partnering with advertisers, affiliate marketing, and sponsored content are potential revenue streams”.
His work with France Gallop shows his business shift toward professional content creation. Power describes his approach: “I want to be in the right place at the right time… interviewing the right people and capturing the moment for all the people who aren’t here”.
This strategy lines up with what other racing bloggers have found: “blogging has always been a passion and helped me meet some very interesting people… It has made me good money over the years”.
Power’s most valuable asset isn’t betting knowledge. His skill at creating engaging content brings “new eyes to the sport” – something racing organisations value more and more as they try to reach younger audiences.
Is the Racing Blogger Good for Horse Racing?
The debate over Stephen Power’s influence on horse racing shows a sport caught between its traditions and progress. Industry professionals have split opinions about the racing blogger – some see him as a much-needed force for modernisation, while others question how he operates and what he says.
Bringing new eyes to the sport
Horse racing faces a tough challenge in getting younger people interested. British racing ranks as the country’s second biggest sport, drawing 5.62 million people to 1,500 race meetings yearly. Yet the sport doesn’t deal very well with attracting younger generations. This makes figures like the racing blogger particularly valuable.
“For the sport of horse racing to thrive and bring in a new generation of fans, not everyone is interested in timeform statistics and jargon. It needs characters like the Racing Blogger to stand out!”
His effect on youth involvement shows in several ways:
- Creates available content that explains racing’s simple concepts without intimidating terminology
- Highlights racing’s social side that younger crowds enjoy
- Gives casual fans an easy way into a sport they might find intimidating
One industry observer put it well: “Many young men are growing up exposed to social media daily. They love a day out at the races with their mates, and in the racing Blogger, they see someone who represents themselves.”
Balancing influence with responsibility
People still worry about the racing blogger’s overall influence. Critics point to his gambling promotion, especially since his audience tends to be young and could be at risk.
Power himself argues that “Racing should involve the young through social media to ensure the ‘Sport of Kings’ attracts a fresh audience and source of revenue”. Critics worry that content “saturated with gambling” puts “viewers at risk of developing gambling addiction”.
Most critics admit he helps the sport. “On the whole, I don’t believe that the Racing Blogger is ultimately bad for racing. He is a character who attracts more people to the sport of horse racing.”
The racing blogger’s real value comes from showing what racing needs to stay relevant – genuine connections with digital platforms, simple language, and focus on the emotional ties that make the sport special. Though controversial, Power shows that racing’s future needs both tradition and state-of-the-art approaches.
The Racing Blogger – My Conclusion
The racing blogger phenomenon represents something far bigger than Stephen Power’s own story. My deep dive into his experience showed how digital innovation reshapes even the most traditional sports. Power deserves credit, without doubt, for seeing a disconnect between racing’s old guard and potential new fans.
Racing stands at a crossroads today. Traditional purists prefer form guides and bloodline analysis. Yet younger fans want personality-driven content that captures racing’s excitement rather than technical details. Power, despite his shortcomings, saw this transformation coming before others in the industry did.
My research revealed Power’s biggest contribution wasn’t his tips or insider access. He proved that racing coverage could take a different form. His approach showed that entertainment value could exist alongside traditional racing coverage, though the mix sometimes created tension.
The racing blogger’s effect on horse racing has no clear-cut answer. Power embodies both opportunities and challenges for a sport that must protect its heritage while drawing new audiences. His legacy might be pushing the industry to face this balance directly, which started important discussions about racing’s evolution in our digital age.
Power’s story teaches us something valuable. Raw passion, determination and the courage to challenge norms can create new paths into age-old industries. People might call him a visionary or controversial figure, but his effect on racing’s digital presence remains clear.
The Racing Blogger – Your FAQs
Q1. Who is the Racing Blogger, and how did he gain popularity? The Racing Blogger, also known as Stephen Power, is a social media influencer who gained popularity by creating entertaining horse racing content. He started by filming himself at racecourses and sharing his experiences, which resonated with younger audiences and helped him amass a large following on platforms like Twitter and Instagram.
Q2. What makes the Racing Blogger’s content different from traditional horse racing coverage? The Racing Blogger focuses on creating entertaining and accessible content that emphasises the social aspects of horse racing. Unlike traditional coverage that often relies on technical analysis, he prioritises storytelling and emotional connections, making the sport more appealing to casual fans and younger audiences.
Q3. Has the Racing Blogger faced any controversies in his career? Yes, the Racing Blogger has faced several controversies. He has been accused of deleting losing bets, exaggerating winning bets, and posting fake photos. Some critics also question his relationships with bookmakers and whether he promotes responsible gambling practices.
Q4. How does the Racing Blogger make money from his content? The Racing Blogger’s income likely comes from various sources, including sponsored content for bookmakers and racing organisations, paid media assignments, brand partnerships, and affiliate marketing arrangements. His ability to create engaging content and reach younger audiences has made him valuable to racing organisations looking to expand their reach.
Q5. Is the Racing Blogger’s influence on horse racing generally seen as positive or negative? Opinions on the Racing Blogger’s influence are divided. Some view him as a necessary modernising force, bringing new and younger audiences to horse racing through his accessible content. Others criticise his methods and messaging, particularly regarding gambling promotion. Overall, he represents both the opportunities and challenges facing horse racing as it tries to balance tradition with innovation in the digital age.
