Generation Next: Alix Turpin

Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan

Alix Turpin thought she had left the equine world behind when she sold up her showjumping horses and started university, but horses wouldn’t let her drift far away for long.

“When it was time for me to go to university, I sold up everything, and I thought that would be the end of my journey with horses,” Turpin told TTR AusNZ. Growing up “obsessed with horses”, Turpin was an active member of the UK Pony Club and began to compete seriously in showjumping in her teens. After a gap year that was meant to be her swansong in the equestrian world, she studied sports science at university and coached rowing, her other passion besides horses.

After university, Turpin spent a couple of years working for a London PR and marketing agency, before taking out a working holiday visa and making the move to Australia.

“My first job in Sydney wasn’t anything to do with horses,” she said. Initially working for wellness software developers MindBody, Turpin was still in Sydney when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Between lockdowns forcing most industries to work from home and the need to complete her eighty eight days, there was a sense of urgency to get out of the city.

The thoroughbred industry beckons

“I had to sort out farm work sharpish,” said Turpin, who got in touch with Coolmore Stud in Jerry’s Plains and, with her showjumping background, was able to secure a job riding breakers. Although needing three months for her visa, Turpin ended up staying for six, in what was her first introduction to the thoroughbred industry.

“I had plans to go back to Sydney, but my time (at Coolmore) opened my eyes to the industry,” she said. “Coolmore is an incredible place to work and I learnt a lot in my time there.”

Coolmore was also where Turpin first met Rob Archibald, then the racing manager for the enterprise’s Australian interests. When it came time for Turpin to move on at the end of her six months, Archibald pointed her in the right direction.

“Annabel (Neasham) had just started,” Turpin related. “And Rob said, ‘why don't you go have a chat with her?’” Drawing on her client communication and marketing skills, as well as her abilities in the saddle, Turpin reached out to Neasham for a role within her new stable.

“We weren’t quite sure what I was going to be doing initially,” Turpin was honest about her role in the stable’s humble beginnings, where her role would eventually morph into the head of Neasham’s sales and marketing department. “It just took off from there. It’s been a whirlwind for her, but also for everyone who's been around her. We’ve been very fortunate to be part of it.”

The ownership experience is critical

For Turpin, her greatest focus these days is on the ownership experience.

“Predominantly my role (now) is to look after the owners, syndicate the horses we buy at the sales, and oversee marketing,” said Turpin. “A lot of the trainers these days are going over and above trying to create ownership experiences that stand out from the crowd. It’s not just a race day experience, we do events for our owners throughout the year and try to have a point of difference.”

Each of Neasham’s stable bases host open days one or two times a year, and Turpin is instrumental in arranging an array of additional events for clients - golf days, fashion competitions, and make up classes are just some of the outings owners can expect to receive an invite to. Over the Scone Cup carnival in May, owners were treated to a weekend of racing, polo, and glamping at Camyr Allen, Neasham’s idyllic spelling property.

“What we found is that a lot of people are getting involved in ownership to form those relationships, to meet new people and feel affiliated with a stable,” Turpin said. “The more that we know our owners on a personal level, we can make sure they have a better experience along the way. Not every horse is always winning, so we try to offer more to it.”

She added, “it makes our jobs more fun too!”

There are few owners that Turpin knows more closely than the connections of Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {BRZ}).

“If you ask anyone from our stable which horse stands out the most, they’ll say him,” she admitted. “We got to know his ownership group so well, we consider them friends. I think it’s a relationship that will continue for years.

“We’re very grateful for them and the horse for such an amazing journey that we all held a piece of together.”

Buying Libertad

Another horse that holds a special place in Turpin’s heart is Libertad (Russian Revolution). Purchased at the 2022 Inglis Ready2Race sale for $210,000, the son of Electric Charge (Charge Forward) may not have ended up in Neasham’s barn at all if Turpin hadn’t been ringside that day.

“Annabel was in Melbourne, one of the horses had gotten injured, so I thought I’ll leave her in peace and just do the sales on my own,” said Turpin. Lot 162, a strapping brown colt by newly crowned champion first season sire Russian Revolution caught her eye. “I don’t know why I didn’t think at the time of asking Annabel, but I just went and bought him.

“I rang her and I said, you’ll be chuffed, I just bought this Russian Revolution colt for $210,000. And she said, ‘you’ve done what?’”

Turpin is able to laugh about it now, “I sent the last email at midnight that night to make sure he was sold. I lived my life in fear for the next six months because I worried he was never going to make the track!”

To Turpin’s relief, Libertad broke his maiden at the first time of asking, then scored in the G3 Kindergarten S. at his next outing. Returning in August of that year, he added the G3 San Domenico S. to his resume.

“Now I feel quite proud when I see him run,” Turpin added.

So far, Libertad has been Turpin’s only foray into purchasing, but she explained that she still plays a key role in horse acquisition, “I guide Annabel on demand. I’m in contact with our owners and clients a lot, so Annabel will come to me and say she loves a horse, do we have people who would buy it?

“They give me a lot of autonomy with marketing decisions. I’m very lucky to be able to grow as the business has grown.”

Hunger and drive

No one is more pleased than Turpin to see Archibald enter a training partnership with Neasham at the start of the new racing season.

“Rob’s great to work with, I owe him a lot,” she said. “Everyone’s happy to see him join the partnership. He’s great with the staff, and even better with the owners.

“We’re a young team,” Turpin added. “We get on very well, and we all share the same hunger and drive for success. Everyone really respects Annabel and what she's done in a really short career.”

Surrounding herself with the right people is how Turpin keeps herself evolving.

“What I’ve tried to do is learn as much as you can from other people, and not always in the same industry as you,” said Turpin. “In all industries, and of all ages. That for me has been really beneficial. I’ve also tried to find mentors, people you can call up, pick their brain, and bounce ideas off of.”

She had one last thought for industry newcomers who are keen to pursue their careers in racing: “You have to back yourself. I came into this industry knowing nothing about racing, but if you’re confident in what you do, you can go over and above in your performance.”