Training horses is one thing, coping with the external pressures of the sport is another.
Annabel Neasham is doing a remarkable job of handling both.
The young horsewoman has racked up a trio of Group 1 wins in just over a year as a fully-fledged trainer and she is making giant strides in what is a traditionally tough arena.
While there are no major prizes on offer at Randwick on Saturday, the meeting is pivotal as it heralds the seasonal return of her star galloper and early 2021 Cox Plate favourite Zaaki in the Tramway Stakes (1400m).
All eyes will be on him, measuring his worthiness as a spring carnival contender.
It is a lot of pressure for a trainer entering her second season, but Neasham is taking it in her stride and keeping her focus on the end game.
“It’s important to appreciate having a horse like him because a lot of trainers never get a hype horse and I’m lucky to have a horse as talented so early on,” Neasham said.
“It helps with your profile and everything, so it can only be a good thing.
“In terms of pressure, all you ever do is the best thing by the horse and you try not to let external things make you do anything differently.
“We stick to our plans and trust the system that we’ve got that we’ll get him there when we need him peaking. We managed to do it with him last prep, so hopefully we can manage it this time.”
Such is the boom on Zaaki, he is an even money favourite with TAB fixed odds, despite the fact he has never placed over the 1400m journey of the Tramway.
His best form is over a mile to 2000m and Neasham is the first to admit that if Zaaki is vulnerable this preparation, it is going to be on Saturday.
“Everybody is beatable, and he certainly is,” Neasham said.
“I’d love to win this weekend and I hope we do, but it’s not the be-all and end-all. The main thing for me is we get the first run under our belt and we’re happy with him.
“He’s exactly where we need him for this stage of his campaign, but he is obviously not fully wound up.
“You want to win them all, but the one race I really, really do want to have him at his best for is the Cox Plate.”
Zaaki will have nine rivals on Saturday, headed by Dreamforce who will be bidding to win the Tramway for the third year in succession.
He finished less than 3-1/2 lengths from Zaaki’s stablemate Mo’Unga when he resumed in the Winx Stakes and boasts an excellent second-up record with four wins and five placings in 11 attempts.
Nash Rawiller returns from a foot injury and will reunite with the Group 1 winner.
