Champion racehorse Zaaki's second act

When Annabel Neasham first met Zaaki at the end of 2020, she had no idea of the impact the Britishborn racehorse would have on her early years as a trainer. He arrived in Australia fresh from being trained in England by Sir Michael Stoute and he debuted down under in the 2021 Group 1 Doncaster Mile.

Within a few months, the confident future champion was showcasing his ability. He secured his first Australian win in the Group 1 Doomben Cup in May 2021, winning by an impressive seven lengths, and that was just the beginning.

Before Neasham announced Zaaki’s retirement at the start of this year, he’d won four Group 1s and the All-Star Mile at Flemington in March 2022, ridden home by Jamie Kah. He accumulated $11 million in prizemoney.

“I had a group of owners who were keen to buy an overseas horse and Zaaki was a standout. He held the track record over a mile at Epsom and he had great presence. He’d been a little out of form in recent times but we knew he had ability,” recalls Neasham.

“I remember seeing him for the first time in pre-training and, in his mind, he should have been in the English winter. Instead, he was in the middle of an Australian summer, so the climate change was a bit of a shock to his system but once we got Zaaki up to trial stage, he impressed from his very first run.”

Zaaki’s temperament, a touch of friendly arrogance and his confidence in his own ability, combined with Neasham’s individualised training program, brought a touch of magic to the track.

“The fitter he becomes the more of a handful he is. He’s quiet in the tie-ups but he knew when the jockey was about to get on him and he’d puff himself up and grow another hand. He loved being in tip-top shape and was a happy horse in work,” said Neasham.

When she began working with Zaaki, she was a newly-fledged trainer. She credits Zaaki’s work ethic and performance with helping her to build a reputation in racing.

“As a trainer, he took me to places you dream of getting to at any point in your career, let alone at the start. It’s very rare to start out training and to have a superstar in your stable. Zaaki’s been a big part of my success,” she said.

In December 2023, Zaaki ran his last race – beaten in a photo-finish in the Group 1 Northerly Stakes. Neasham said it was the right time to draw a line under his career on the track.

“He was a 9-year-old and he’d taken us on the ride of our lives. We wanted him to go out as a sound, happy, healthy horse who could have a second career if he wanted,” said Neasham.

That second career is in eventing and Zaaki is already showing plenty of promise and potential. Neasham has taken over Zaaki from his owners and initially rested him for a few months at the NSW property owned by her partner Rob Archibald in Scone.

In early July, accomplished eventer, Charlie Richardson, and his father, Blair, began working with Zaaki to prepare the former champion racehorse for the equestrian arenas. The Richardsons have a close working relationship with Neasham and were thrilled when she asked them to re-train Zaaki.

“I followed his racing career and was aware of what a great horse Zaaki was, so having the opportunity to work with him is a privilege,” said Richardson.

“When he came to us, he’d had a few months off and he’d had a chance to settle down which makes re-training much easier.

I began with riding him in the arena, getting him round and responsive to my leg and teaching him that it’s not about going as fast as he can anymore.

“I started jumping him by getting him to trot over poles on the ground and then to canter over them. Then we put up some small cross rails and I jump him over those a few times a week. We also have a cross country paddock with water jumps and ditches and I’m introducing Zaaki to those.” Richardson is also schooling Zaaki in the art of dressage two or three times a week and his balanced canter and willingness to learn have seen him make some swift progress.

After only a short time adapting to this type of work, Zaaki won his first eventing competition in Tamworth in July, coming first in dressage and completing clear jumping and cross country rounds.

“I was stoked. To win after a few weeks in work was way beyond any expectations,” said Richardson.

“Of course, he’s started at a basic level but Zaaki’s performance was great and he was relaxed and seemed to enjoy himself. He has trust in me because he responds to whatever I ask of him and his jumping is getting better and better. You can’t take an off-the-track racehorse and put them over a metre fence on the first ride. You start with the basics and give them time to work things out.”

Neasham and Richardson  plan to take part in a few competitions.  “We’ll see if he progresses to higher levels of eventing but Dad said that a champion horse is always going to be a champion horse. We know Zaaki was a true champion on the track so he could well become a champion showjumper or eventer if he keeps progressing the way he is,” said Richardson.

Neasham, a seasoned eventer and showjumper back in the UK, is keen to compete on Zaaki herself and she’s pleased to own a horse that has been pivotal to her racing career and that is now enjoying a second career.

“I wanted Zaaki to have a home where he will be loved forever and to showcase what life after racing can look like for horses like him,” she said.

The 10-year-old has certainly established a contented lifestyle post-racing and he’s quickly become a favourite in the stables of Charlie and Blair Richardson.

“He gets lots of pats and carrots and he’s a real people pleaser,” said Richardson.

“Everyone’s fallen in love with Zaaki.”