Off The Track Carnival: Racetrack retirees take centre stage

The qualities that make a racehorse stand out – athleticism, intelligence, determination – don’t disappear when the racing stops. They’re simply redirected into new pursuits, new partnerships, new careers entirely.

This comes to life at the Racing Victoria Off The Track Carnival, hosted by Boneo Park this weekend, September 11-13, where hundreds of retired thoroughbreds step into the spotlight for three days of competition, celebration and discovery.

Now in its second year, the OTT Carnival highlights the versatility of the thoroughbred, showcasing horses that once raced and now compete as dressage horses, show jumpers, show horses and all-round equestrian athletes. For racing fans, it’s a chance to discover a different side of horses they may have followed throughout their careers.

Names familiar from the racetrack – Group 1 winners Zaaki and Hartnell among them – are just some of the thoroughbreds that have successfully transitioned into life beyond racing, while Melbourne Cup runner-up Emissary and millionaire sprinter Scallopini have also proven their talents in new disciplines. Their journeys are a reminder that retirement from racing is not the end of a thoroughbred’s story, but is the beginning of another.

The OTT Carnival has already established itself as Victoria’s largest equestrian event dedicated exclusively to thoroughbreds, and in 2026 it expands to three days. Across 23 championship classes spanning Dressage, Combined Training, Show Jumping and Show Horse, competitors will showcase the adaptability and willingness that have long defined the breed. New Rising Star championships, introduced this year, give horses recently retired from racing further opportunities to begin their next journey, and highlight the growing demand for thoroughbreds in equestrian sport. A trade village, fashion classes, VIP luncheon and the popular Wall of Claim round out the celebration.

The OTT Carnival also brings racing and equestrian communities together through the return of the Celebrity Show Jumping Challenge, where jockeys and trainers swap the racetrack for the arena. Jamie Melham, Celine Gaudray and Daniel Stackhouse will line up for the jockeys, joined by a trainers’ squad led by Group 1 winner Matt Laurie alongside Lucy Yeomans and Charlotte Littlefield, with Olympian and World Cup showjumper Amanda Ross captaining an equestrian team of Steven Hill and Demi McEvoy.

Melham will be reunited with her ex-racehorse Brax, whom she retrained herself. Her love of rehoming off-the-track horses runs deep, and Brax – raced as Rich Rupee, a son of Manhattan Rain who managed just one win in his career – was always one of her favourites, drawn as she was to his “spicy temperament”. Last year she gifted the now 14-year-old gelding to Charlotte Warren, daughter of trainer Jason Warren, for her birthday, and Brax is now teaching Charlotte the ropes.

Through Racing Victoria’s Off The Track program, retired racehorses are supported along pathways designed to help them thrive in their next careers. Events like this one play a vital role in showcasing those possibilities – proof of the remarkable adaptability of a breed known for its courage and competitive spirit.