Marketing, media, headlines, and hype. For all the words starting with 'm' and 'h' in there there is actually only one (ironically - not represented) that is the outcome of the process: profit.

The people behind the profit push are the companies selling the products/services, and, more frequently these days, they are assisted by a team of marketers. These professionals may just be doing their job but they (also ironically perhaps) will be the ones to bear the brunt of those dreaded hissed words "it's all YOUR fault you know" when the end of year figures come in (as if somehow the root of the drought, the infertile stallion, the progeny that never cut it as crack 2yo's, the cat that was run over [not by you], the trainer with utterly no people skills, and the fact that it gets dark at 5pm all inexplicably rest at your feet). It's as if the public/Board/owner of the cat somehow magically believe that the forces of competition and globalisation just happened whilst they were all asleep one night.

Like everything in life there is good and bad marketing (and hype, media, and headlines). There are also good and bad marketers.

A good marketer knows as much about business development as they do about branded collaterals (brochures, baseball caps and envelopes) and arranging cocktail parties, and a lot of very good marketers - being realists - are actually going increasingly light on the (questionable) hype these days, and are building increasingly strong reputations as a result.

But, hype continues to make headlines, and feeds the dreams of many. So, many insist on pursuing it ... even if it's relative truth/merit is less than clear.

A story from yesterday's racing news will ably assist me in illustrating the point.

Impeccably bred 2yo colt GEORGE WASHINGTON could not have been more impressive in his 8 length white wash of the opposition in the G1 Phoenix Stakes in Ireland. The headline: He is now a 5-1 quote for next year’s 2000 Guineas.

Stud owners rub their hands with glee, journalists clamour for quotes, race enthusiasts launch into frenetic forum debates, and racing portals and newspapers everywhere splash the headlines in vibrant colour.

Questionable hype?

Perhaps.

There are some months between now and next May at Newmarket. It's probably also worth having a look at recent winners of the Phoenix Stakes and their subsequent records at three to see how solid such early hype actually is (we'll stick to the past 10 years so feel free to trawl back earlier than that and argue with me if I'm way off track):

1995 Danehill Dancer: Six starts for one win (Group 3 Greenham Stakes at Newbury). Finished sixth to Mark of Esteem in 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and ninth to Ashkalani in the French 2000 Guineas.

1996 Mantovani: Didn’t run as a three-year-old.

1997 Princely Heir: Seven starts without a win. Finished fourth to Tiger Hill in the German 2000 Guineas.

1998 Lavery: Three starts for one win, the Shergar Sprint Cup. Finished 10th to Sendawar in French 2000 Guineas.

1999 Fasliyev: Didn’t run as a three-year-old.

2000 Minardi: Five starts without a win. Finished fourth to Golan at Newmarket and third to Black Minnaloushe at the Curragh.

2001 Johannesburg: Three starts without a win. Finished eighth to War Emblem in Kentucky Derby.

2002 Spartacus: Two starts without a win. Finished last in both appearances.

2003 One Cool Cat: Five starts for one win, the Group 3 Phoenix Sprint Stakes. Finished 13th to Haafhd at Newmarket.

2004 Damson: Three starts to date in 2005 without a win. Finished 9th to Saoire in the Irish 1000 Guineas.

Now - I'm in the business of "hype". I could therefore rush out another headline. Instead I might just quietly take my seat at this point. No further questions your Honour.

[Update: seems the Racing Post's Michael Clower has had similar thoughts - his article spotted this evening at the following URL:

"Obviously you can see why he is the 2,000 Guineas favourite although the Phoenix Stakes has a chequered history when it comes to producing three-year-olds ... No winner has gone on to land a Classic since Turtle Island 12 years ago and only one of the past six winners has even won a race at three."]