Annabel Neasham, who has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the Australian training ranks since taking out a licence in 2020, has announced a new direction for her stable.
Neasham will train in partnership with her partner Rob Archibald from the start of the 2024/25 Australian racing season.
The couple will have their first runners as a partnership at Hawkesbury and Cranbourne on Thursday.
"Rob Archibald has been an integral member of Annabel Neasham Racing since July 2022, initially joining the team as Racing Manager," Neasham said in a statement.
"Over the past two years, Rob has proven to be an invaluable asset to the business, bringing a wealth of industry knowledge, exceptional horsemanship and interpersonal skills to all areas of the operation.
"His contributions have been instrumental in sustaining the stable's consistent results and enhancing its overall performance.”
Neasham’s stable has expanded rapidly since she left her role as an assistant trainer to Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.
Her arrival among the upper echelon of Australian trainers coincided with the emergence of imported middle-distance star Zaaki as a bona fide Group 1 star.
Zaaki won four races at the highest level for Neasham before bowing out of racing at the end of 2023 when runner-up in the Group 1 Northerly Stakes in Perth.
Neasham has operated from a primary base at Warwick Farm in Sydney but also runs satellite stables in Victoria and Queensland. In her brief career, she has collected 10 Group 1 wins.
"Rob has proven to be an invaluable asset to the business, bringing a wealth of industry knowledge, exceptional horsemanship and interpersonal skills to all areas of the operation." - Annabel Neasham
She has been the third busiest stable in the country behind only Maher and Chris Waller in the current Australian racing season.
“As we continue to grow and operate across multiple states, Rob's expertise will be crucial in maintaining a hands-on approach to training, as well as playing a fundamental role in managing our team of horses and staff," Neasham said.
Archibald worked as Coolmore Australia’s racing manager for four years before joining Neasham. Prior to that, he was an assistant trainer to David Simcock in England, where he was also a professional polo player.
The Neasham-Archibald partnership is expected to have a profitable spring with ruling Caulfield Cup favourite Fawkner Park among the stable’s headline acts.
