Nacho Figueras, Zara Phillips, Delfina Blaquier, Mike Tindall, Nicole Slater and Billy Slater at the Magic Millions Raceday 2020
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‘We couldn’t do it without them. Zara Tindall MBE, Olympic equestrienne and our Patron of Magic Millions Racing Women and Mike Tindall MBE, world champion athlete and successful horse-racehorse owner; Billy and Nicole represent the pinnacle of Australian sporting excellence and hands-on thoroughbred breeding passion; Nacho and Delfina bring the glamour and athleticism of world-class polo; and Hamish is the storyteller who binds it all together. Their collective passion elevates every aspect of the Carnival, from the beach to the sales ring.’
Last year, when the pair touched down for the Magic Millions, they revealed just how much the country meant to them. ‘We have always loved Australia, and it is like a home from home for us,’ King Charles’ niece told Hello! . ‘We have been coming to Queensland for so long now it has become a tradition for the start of the year – and although the Magic Millions carnival is busy with so much going on, being by the beach, with like-minded horse enthusiasts celebrating all things equine – we couldn’t ask for a better way to start the year.’
And while Mike may be more at home on the sidelines of the equestrian events, he certainly knows how to have a good time at Magic Millions. Take last year, for example, when he stole the show at the inaugural karaoke, held the night before Zara’s big polo match. Zara warned The Australian Financial Review that ‘you won’t be able to get the mic off’ her husband. Rugby legend Mike agreed, promising (or, perhaps, warning) the outlet that his go-to songs included ‘Boom! Shake the Room’ by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, and ‘Ice Ice Baby’ by Vanilla Ice.
In the end, however, the 46-year-old performed a heartfelt duet of ‘Shallow’, the hit song by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper from A Star Is Born. Joined on stage by Nicole Slater, wife of jockey Billy Slater, the outside centre crooned his way through the ballad, skating by with only a smattering of missed lyrics and blue language. Could more musical mayhem be on the cards for 2026?