When the first All-Star Mile was run, Annabel Neasham did not have a trainers’ licence and was working for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable.
That was 2019 and a second All-Star Mile was run before Neasham began training in her own right, producing her first runner in the August of 2020.
Less than two years after registering her first winner at Scone, Neasham was standing tall as the winning trainer of an All-Star Mile when Zaaki took out last year’s race at Flemington.
This time around, Neasham has two starters in the $5 million race at Moonee Valley on Saturday, represented by Laws Of Indices and My Oberon.
“It’s a real privilege to have got two into the field,” Neasham said.
“It’s still a relatively new race but it seems to be getting more traction and hopefully we can repeat what Zaaki did last year.”
Neasham said Laws Of Indices and My Oberon are two different gallopers that bring two different form lines into the race.
Laws Of Indices will be ridden by UK jockey Oisin Murphy who Neasham said had followed the career of the entire since his third-place finish in the Hong Kong Mile last December.
“Oisin did message me with a thumbs up for barrier six and I replied, ‘it would be a long way to come for barrier 15’,” Neasham said.
“The horse has been on his radar for a while and he’s aware of the other horses in the field as well.
“Oisin has gone agonisingly close at Moonee Valley before in the Manikato Stakes and the Cox Plate, so he will be looking to get a big one there.
“It’s the first horse he has ridden for me. I haven’t had one fast enough before, but it’s a privilege to have him on Laws Of Indices and he’s going to ride a couple of other horses for me on the day.”
My Oberon made a strong start to his Australian career last spring winning first-up in the Crystal Mile over Saturday’s course and trip last October.
He’s had one run this campaign, finishing last in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 25.
“It didn’t really surprise me first-up, I knew he needed the run,” Neasham said.
“He’s quite a lazy horse and a bit ring-rusty but what I’ve loved is how he’s improved out of that run.
“We took him back to Sydney and he’s been thriving.”