Reece Zahl's choice for a winner

By Jordan Gerrans

Horseman Reece Zahl credits an off-season learning journey working under Brett Robb at Dubbo as instrumental in his own fledgling training career. 

The Alpha-based Zahl has been searching for his maiden victory as a trainer over the last couple of years and he finally broke through at Longreach on Saturday afternoon.

The 27-year-old has gone through half-a-dozen horses as he has established his own barn over the last few seasons.

And, it was Monday Choice who delivered the first victory for his team in the Class B Handicap over 1300 metres.

The hard-working Zahl grew up on a station in the bush and was keen to learn more in the racing game so he spent a summer working under the guidance of Robb at Dubbo.

He had previously been mentored by long-time Queensland trainers such as Patrick O’Toole and Glenda Bell, but he says the time in regional New South Wales was an ‘eye-opening experience’.

“I learnt a lot from him, he is a good bloke,” Zahl said.

“He was very helpful and is a very good horseman.

“They have a lot of handy horses and they all work hard.

“It is good to see what other people do because a lot of people out here in the Central West, they mostly train the same.

“It was good to see how others train as it is a whole lot different.”

The Robb team have been a consistent stable around the Dubbo area over the last five or so years, regularly preparing around 50 winners a season.

Monday Choice was only having her third run for Zahl after previously being under the care of Callaghan Park trainer Kris Hansen.

The five-year-old mare went to Cunnamulla and Barcaldine before getting the money on the dirt track at Longreach.

In-form apprentice hoop Maddie Mankelow lifted Monday Choice to victory by more than a length as the outsider in the market of the seven-horse field.

Monday Choice missed the jump and was forced to go right around the field to score in the straight.

“It was about finding a horse that was suited to our style of racing out here and my training style I have,” Zahl said.

“I thought there would be some improvement in her for our area as she came from Rockhampton.

“She is still a bit green, but I knew if her head was right, she would be tough to beat.

“Maddie has plenty of confidence at the moment and that is what the horse needed.”

The voice of racing in the Central West Andrew Watts described the win as a ‘historic and special’ day for Zahl in his call of the race on Saturday.

Mankelow has been in stunning form in the Central West through the middle stages of 2025 and collected another treble on Saturday.

As of Monday morning, the 23-year-old Mankelow has already posted a career-best season in the saddle with 22 triumphs and is striking at more than 23%.

She also has a strong book of rides at Mount Isa on Monday afternoon. 

Zahl paid just $1,000 for Monday Choice and was relived to finally get the winning monkey off his back.

“It has been a lot of hard work and persistence,” he said.

Zahl is currently the only trainer at the Alpha track in the Central West and is aided by his partner and jockey Tessa Townsend in preparing his team.

Hoop Townsend had ridden Monday Choice in her previous two efforts before Saturday.

Zahl laughs that Townsend was ‘filthy’ that she was unable to ride his maiden winner as a trainer as he opted to use Mankelow’s claim in the race to ease the mare’s 60kg weight.

With the Central West racing season set to come to an end soon, Zahl is hopeful of getting one more run out of Monday Choice at Blackall later this month.

The young horseman is keen to get stablemate Loaded Weapon back to the races soon, as well.

The three-year-old gelding has had three starts for Zahl after starting his career at the Gold Coast with Peter Robl.

The Alpha trainer has an eye on taking Loaded Weapon to a coastal Queensland track over the summer months.