Hong Kong: Although she is just two years into a solo training career already hitting the heights, English expat Annabel Neasham believes Laws Of Indices is the perfect horse to represent Australia when he takes on the mighty Golden Sixty in the Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin on December 11.
The last horse to fly the Australian flag at the Longines Hong Kong International Races was the Chris Waller-trained Comin’ Through, unplaced four years ago in the same race due to be tackled by four-year-old colt Laws Of Indices.
Sydney-based Neasham arrived in Australia in 2016 with the intention of having a working holiday and then eventually moving on after a year. She never left Australia as what was once a short-term plan developed into a long-term commitment and a prospering career as Neasham continues her rise into one of the country’s top trainers.
Former Irish-trained Laws Of Indices, a G1 winner in France in last year’s Prix Jean Prat, joined Neasham’s Warwick Farm stables last year from Ken Condon.
Although yet to add to the three wins he had in Europe, the son of Power finished a narrowly beaten second in the G1 Toorak Handicap at Caulfield and was then beaten less than three lengths in the Cox Plate.
Laws Of Indices’ last race before committing to the Sha Tin assignment was a third in the Five Diamonds at Rosehill on November 5.
Neasham has engaged the world-ranked #1 rider James McDonald, who has won two G1 events on the top-class Zaaki.
She is excited by the challenge of her first international runner in the HK$30 million ($3.85m/£3.2m) race. “I haven’t had an overseas runner before and obviously Hong Kong is somewhat seen as the pinnacle of racing, so I’m privileged to be invited,” Neasham said.
“It probably helps as a lot of the connections of the horse are based in Hong Kong and they are all pretty excited. He has been on the plane before and has some pretty game owners, so they are up for the challenge.”
As an accomplished equestrian rider in eventing, show jumping and hunting, Neasham fell heavily for the British jumps scene. However, keen to foster a career staying among horses, she eventually turned her attention to the Flat, spending six months working for Gai Waterhouse in Sydney before moving to Melbourne for Ciaron Maher.
Neasham was Maher’s assistant when he opened stables at Warwick Farm before branching out on her own. Neasham has always been up for a challenge and there is no better example of this than her winning the 2018 Mongol Derby with Australian horse breaker Adrian Corby.
Riders spend 13 to 14 hours a day in the saddle to complete the 1,000km race along the Mongolian Steppe in 10 days, using between 30 to 40 semi-wild horses that are swapped at stations, the homes of herders, every 40km.
Having achieved that, Neasham is ready for her next adventure.
• Visit the Hong Kong Jockey Club website
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