Cover image courtesy of Trackside Photography
Written by Kit Gow
After last week’s torrential rain, Group 1 racing returns on Saturday at Eagle Farm, but there will be Group 1 action - of a sort - in Melbourne on the Friday, where G1 Doomben Cup victor Zaaki (GB) will be accompanied by his former trainer Annabel Archibald in the Yulong Stud Rising Stars class as part of the Melbourne International 3 Day Event program.
The rising 10-year-old, who collected over $11 million in prizemoney across a dual hemisphere career on the track, will be joined by 32 other thoroughbreds in the second running of the event that caters to racehorses that retired within the last two years. Entrants are required to ride a dressage test and complete a showjumping course, with the combination with the highest combined points from both sections crowned the winner.
Zaaki (GB) | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
Zaaki (GB) may be the most famous name amongst acceptances for the event, but he will be joined by several familiar faces; fellow entrant Great House (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was a dual Group 3 winner in his Southern Hemisphere career, as well as running in two G1 Caulfield Cups and a G1 Melbourne Cup. Fun Fact’s (The Factor {USA}) eight wins on the track include the G3 Grand Prix Stakes and the $500,000 ATC St Leger Stakes.
Also joining them is Sheamus Mills Bloodstock’s Rochelle Adams with metropolitan-winning Zac De Boss (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}), who also competed in the event last year.
“We are delighted to offer our full support as Event Partners of the Melbourne International 3 Day Event, which will help shine a light on the ability of OTT horses to transition into secondary careers once they have been retired from racing,” Melissa Ware, Racing Victoria’s General Manager – Equine Welfare, said.
“The Melbourne International 3 Day Event is one of over 200 events that RV’s Off The Track Program supports across the state to drive demand and position retired racehorses as the breed of choice in the equestrian community.
Melissa Ware | Image courtesy of Racing Victoria
“With thoroughbreds making up more than 50 per cent of the horses competing (this weekend), the Melbourne International 3 Day Event provides the perfect platform to showcase the intelligence and adaptability of these amazing animals.”
"The Melbourne International 3 Day Event provides the perfect platform to showcase the intelligence and adaptability of these amazing animals." - Melissa Ware
Claudia McDougall, sales and marketing for Yulong Investments, was delighted that Yulong could sponsor the class this year.
“We're trying to be industry leaders here,” she said. “It's very important that we're supporting these off the track initiatives, and it’s something that the industry as a whole should be doing. It showcases these horses for what they can do and for their capabilities to have a successful career after racing. I love to watch thoroughbreds go and do another job, they’re such versatile animals.
"It's very important that we're supporting these off the track initiatives, and it’s something that the industry as a whole should be doing." - Claudia McDougall
“This is our first year sponsoring the competition and it’s something that we are very keen to invest in going forward. The Rising Stars class is going to get bigger and bigger over the next few years, there are several high profile horses among the entries this year, and the team at Melbourne do a wonderful job.”
McDougall spoke of how initiatives like the Rising Stars class shine a spotlight on horses leaving the racing industry; “We can produce sound, well mannered horses that can be successful on the racetrack, and then hopefully they can have the same ability to go onto a successful second career afterwards as well.
Claudia McDougall | Image courtesy of Yulong Investments
“We would love to see a few former Yulong horses in the class in the future!”
The top three finishers in the class will have the opportunity to participate in a masterclass on the Saturday led by Olympic silver medalist Chris Burton.
A total of 120 off the track thoroughbreds are entered across all levels at the Melbourne event, with 29 entries for the second annual Off The Track CCN1*Long competition.
