‘I know first-hand how important it is’: Zara Tindall on her new Aussie passion project
British royal Zara Tindall is headed back to Australia this summer, with her new role set to be announced this weekend.
Zara Tindall is something of a white knight for the British royals. And she’s fittingly riding in on horseback.
Olympic silver medal-winning eventer Zara – the daughter of one of the hardest-working and most respected royals in Princess Anne, and the King’s niece – is a controversy-free, perfect poster girl for the Gold Coast’s annual Magic Millions carnival, amid difficult times of late for the royal family.
Along with husband, former British rugby star Mike Tindall, Queensland rugby league legend Billy Slater and equestrian artist wife Nicole, and dashing Argentine polo star/model Nacho Figueras and his model/fashion photographer wife Delfina Blaquier, Zara is saddling up for another Magic Millions as a carnival ambassador.
The Tindalls have been bringing some royal glamour to Magic Millions each January since Zara was first appointed ambassador in 2012 as part of a push by carnival owners, billionaire retailers Gerry Harvey and Katie Page-Harvey, to elevate the annual equine extravaganza with some star power.
Zara was also installed as patron of one of Page-Harvey’s favourite programs, the Magic Millions Racing Women, an initiative which aims at recognising females involved in the $9b Australian racing industry, and encouraging more of them to come along for the exciting and rewarding ride.
“I was introduced to Katie Page as she wanted someone to be an ambassador to get more women into racing,” Zara says from the UK, recalling how she first became involved with Magic Millions.
“It was something very new and different and anything that looks to promote and develop women in equestrian is something I am always interested in – so I was delighted to get involved.”
The Tindalls will have their Magic Millions ambassadorships officially extended in an announcement this weekend.
Just how much they and the other ambassadors are paid is a tightly-guarded secret but as then Magic Millions boss Vin Cox said after Zara was first appointed in 2012: “It’s not what we pay them, it’s what we can get out of it. We see it as tremendous value for us and we think it’s going to work very, very well for what we’re trying to do in promoting racing women.”
As the daughter of Olympic equestrians Anne and Captain Mark Phillips (who won an eventing gold medal at the 1972 Munich Games and a silver at Seoul in 1988), a passion for horses has coursed through Zara’s veins since she was a child. She took up eventing after studying physiotherapy at the University of Exeter, going on to win multiple European and world championships and a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
The indomitable Page-Harvey – who is credited with much of the success of Magic Millions which she and husband Gerry, fellow larrikin businessman John Singleton and former banker Rob Ferguson rescued from the brink of bankruptcy in the 1990s – pounced, snaring Zara as the first Magic Millions ambassador.
Her husband Mike followed with his own ambassadorial appointment in 2016, with Figueras and Blaquier joining the Magic Millions celebrity stable in 2018. Billy and Nicole Slater were made ambassadors in 2019, with Hollywood star Chris Hemsworth’s actor wife, Elsa Pataky, coming on board in 2022.
Zara, Slater, Figueras and Blaquier are not just big-name faces of Magic Millions. As accomplished horsemen and women, they all take part in one of the carnival’s most spectacular showpieces, the annual gallop and barrier draw on Surfers Paradise beach.
Zara won this year’s beach race, held under flawless blue skies on a postcard-perfect Gold Coast morning, beating home a field that also included last year’s Melbourne Cup-winning “singing jockey” Robbie Dolan.
“This is why we all come – it’s the most incredible location,” she told assembled media after her win.
“No one else does it better than the Gold Coast and we love being part of it.”
As well as the beach race, Zara also takes part in the two-week Magic Millions carnival’s showjumping and polo event on the Southport Spit – another Page-Harvey innovation – with Billy Slater and the Figueras’ saddling up alongside her in the polo.
Last year, she rode former champion thoroughbred Paths of Glory in the showjumping. The grey English import was retrained for eventing by top jockey Rachel King, who rode the horse for much of his racing career.
It’s part of a Magic Millions-backed program called Queensland Off-The-Track, which aims to give retired thoroughbreds a new lease of life after racing, as showjumping and polo horses.
“The relationship between horse and rider is such a unique bond,” Zara says.
“So no matter what discipline it is, looking after horses after they have had their moment of glory is so important for the industry as a whole.
“They can have a whole new lease of life, which is amazing to watch.”
The 2026 Magic Millions polo and showjumping event will feature the Queensland Off-The-Track Cup, with a boosted $100,000 prize purse for the showjumpers as part of a $1.56m prize pool.
While his wife will be doing the hard yards on horseback in the showjumping and polo, the colourful Mike Tindall – who has forged a lucrative post-rugby career as a podcaster and after-dinner speaker – will be on the sidelines on commentary duties alongside Channel 7’s Hamish McLachlan.
Tindall was one of the hits of this year’s Magic Millions when he took part in the carnival’s newly-introduced karaoke competition, joining Nicole Slater on stage at the Gold Coast Turf Club to belt out a respectable rendition of the Lady Gaga/Bradley Cooper duet, Shallow.
The banter on stage between the ambassadors, and throughout the carnival, reflects the close friendships that have developed between them since becoming involved with the carnival.
The Tindalls were special guests of Maroons coach Billy Slater at this year’s State of Origin decider at Sydney’s Accor Stadium in July.
It was part of an extended second trip to Australia this year for the down-to-earth British couple, who were here primarily for the British and Irish Lions rugby tour.
The Tindalls – who first met at Manly Wharf Bar during the 2003 rugby World Cup and have developed an enduring love affair with Australia – also holidayed on Hamilton Island with their children Mia, 11, Lena, 7, and Lucas, 4, during their latest visit.
Zara says the family is again looking forward to escaping the English winter for the 2026 Magic Millions next January.
“We have such a great time when we are there,” she says from the UK.
“Everyone comes for a good time and to get behind the event and get more women involved in all things equestrian. All the ambassadors have become great friends over the years, and obviously we all have a common interest in horses albeit in different parts of the industry.
“It’s really fun to play polo with Nacho and Delfi, and hopefully entertaining for people to watch. Billy and Nicole Slater both also have a massive passion for horses – they breed racehorses now (at their Slater Thoroughbreds boutique stud outside Melbourne) and Billy loves playing polo, so it’s a great atmosphere and a brilliant group of people.”
Whether the friendship with the Slaters could be tested by Mike Tindall’s heavy involvement with the R360 rebel rugby competition, which has been trying to poach NRL stars including Brisbane Bronco Payne Haas with multimillion dollar contracts, remains to be seen – though it seems highly unlikely.
Zara says she’s especially proud of her involvement with the Magic Millions Racing Women initiative, which provides $750,000 in bonuses for female-owned or leased horses in the two $3m feature races on the carnival’s $13.25m main race day. It also includes the Racing Woman of the Year TAB Achievement Awards, providing $10,000 scholarships to the industry’s top female participants.
Last year’s Queensland winner was Sunshine Coast trainer Sheila Laxon, who
co-trained 2024 Melbourne Cup winner Knight’s Choice.
“I know first-hand how important it is that we have as many women as we can in the industry so I will do anything I can to help highlight all the great things about owning and riding horses,” Zara says.
“Katie’s brainchild back in 2012 of incentivising women to own more racehorses with the Magic Millions Racing Women’s bonuses within the major raceday was, and continues to be, a brilliant concept.
“Women’s participation in the sport is continuing to increase and the success stories along the way are inspiring.”
In partnership with Magic Millions
MAGIC MILLIONS CARNIVAL 2026
Friday, January 9
Magic Millions Racing Women supported by TAB Achievement Awards
Saturday, January 10
Magic Millions Gold Twilight Meeting at Gold Coast Turf Club, Bundall. $7.3m in prize money across 10-race program
Sunday, January 11
Pacific Fair Magic Millions Polo & Showjumping,
Doug Jennings Park, The Spit, Main Beach
Tuesday, January 13
Exhibition horse run on the beach and Magic Millions Barrier Draw
January 13-18
Gold Coast Yearling Sales at the Magic Millions sales complex, Bundall
Saturday, January 17
TAB Magic Millions Raceday at Gold Coast Turf Club, Bundall. $13.25m in prize money across 10-race card
magicmillions.com.au
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