Tulloch (foaled in New Zealand in 1954 and died in 1969) was a champion Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who was one of the greatest Australian stayers.[2]

Tulloch
Tulloch
SireKhorassan
GrandsireBig Game
DamFlorida
DamsireSalmagundi
SexStallion
Foaled1954
CountryNew Zealand
ColourBay or brown
BreederTrelawney Stud
OwnerE.A. Haley
TrainerTommy J. Smith
Record53:36-12-4
Earnings£110,121
Major wins
VRC St Leger (1958)
AJC St Leger (1958)
P.J. O'Shea Stakes (1960, 1961)
Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1958, 1960, 1961)
C B Fisher Plate (1957, 1960)
Chipping Norton Stakes (1958, 1960)
Brisbane Cup (1961)
W S Cox Plate (1960)
Mackinnon Stakes (1960)
Chelmsford Stakes (1960)
Craven Plate (1960)
All Aged Stakes (1958)
Rawson Stakes (1958)
Caulfield Cup (1957)
Caulfield Guineas (1957)
Warwick Stakes (1957)
VRC Derby (1957)
AJC Derby (1957)
QTC Derby (1957)
Rosehill Guineas (1957)
AJC Sires Produce Stakes (1957)
VRC Sires Produce Stakes (1957)
QTC Sires Produce Stakes (1957)
Honours
Australian Racing Hall of Fame
New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame[1]
Tulloch Stakes
Last updated on 11 May 2009

He won at distances from 5 furlongs (1,000 metres) to 2 miles (3,200 m), established Australian records at 10 furlongs (1960 Cox Plate) and 12 furlongs (1957 Caulfield Cup), and took 2 seconds off Phar Lap's 28-year-old record for the AJC Derby. As a three-year-old Tulloch won 14 of his 16 starts before he was struck down by a virus which kept him off the racing scene for almost two years. He returned to racing as an autumn five-year-old and won 15 of his last 24 races.

Tulloch was one of the five inaugural horse inductees into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame, alongside Carbine, Phar Lap, Bernborough and Kingston Town. Tulloch is also an inductee in the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame.

Background

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Tulloch was a bay or brown colt foaled in 1954 at Trelawney Stud, Cambridge, New Zealand. He was by the good racehorse and sire, Khorassan out of the race winner, Florida by Salmagundi (GB).[3] Khorassan (IRE) was the sire of 18 stakeswinners with 65 stakeswins, mostly in New Zealand.[4] Florida was also the dam of Tallahassee Lassie (unraced) and Tulloch's Sister (a multiple metropolitan race winner), before she was exported to the US.[2]

Racing career

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Trainer Tommy J. Smith bought Tulloch as a yearling for 750 guineas in 1956 at the Trentham Yearling Sales. He offered the colt to E.A. Haley who was impressed by the horse's breeding, intelligence and presence despite having what was referred to as a "swampy" back. Haley named him Tulloch after the Scottish town where his mother was born.

1956/1957: Two-Year-Old Season

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Tulloch made his debut in the Breeders' Plate in the spring of 1956 where he was the favourite but was defeated by Flying Kurana. A week later, Tulloch won the Canonbury Stakes.

He was then sent to Melbourne where he raced three times, winning twice but defeated in the Maribyrnong Plate by Concert Star.[5]

Resuming in the autumn, Tulloch was placed second in his first two starts, a 2yo handicap in Sydney and the Merson Cooper Stakes.

He then won the seven furlong VRC Sires Produce Stakes, defeating Ace High. In his next start, dropping back a furlong, Ace High turned the tables on Tulloch in the Ascot Vale Stakes.

Returning to Sydney, Tulloch won the Fairfield Handicap at Warwick Farm Racecourse before meeting only two other horses in the AJC Sires Produce Stakes. Todman and Prince Darius were to prove themselves as worthy foes, however were no match for Tulloch, who at this stage was undefeated at seven furlongs. Todman turned the tables in the Champagne Stakes (dropping back to 6F) beating Tulloch by six lengths.[6] Before heading for a spell, Smith and Tulloch travelled to Brisbane where Tulloch won the QTC Sires Produce Stakes.

His record at the end of his 2yo season stood at 13:7-6-0. Tulloch had won the VRC, AJC and QTC Sires Produce Stakes, the Cannonbury Stakes as well as 2yo races at Caulfield, Flemington and Warwick Farm Racecourse. He also ran second in the Maribyrnong Plate, AJC Breeders Plate, Ascot Vale Stakes and the Champagne Stakes.

1957/1958: Three-Year-Old Season

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Resuming in the Warwick Stakes in 1957, Tulloch took on open age competition for the first time beating MacDougal (winner of the Metropolitan Handicap and Melbourne Cup), Monte Carlo (AJC Derby and VRC Derby and LKS Mackinnon Stakes) and Caranna (AJC Derby, Caulfield Guineas and Rosehill Guineas).[7] Next he went back to his own age group in the Rosehill Guineas, where he beat Prince Darius, then onto the AJC Derby, in which Tulloch beat Prince Darius (again) by six lengths and in the process broke the track record by 2.1 seconds that had been held by Phar Lap since 1929.[7] Tulloch then made the trip down to Melbourne to win the Caulfield Guineas and then took on the older horses again in the Caulfield Cup. Tulloch started 6/4 on favourite in a field of 17, carrying 7 stone 8 pounds (approx 48 kg) Tulloch won in 2:26.9, which at the time was the fastest time in the world for a mile and a half on turf and the third fastest overall.[7] He won by two lengths from Mac's Amber (Chipping Norton Stakes and Toorak Handicap) and Sailor's Guide (AJC Derby, LKS Mackinnon Stakes as well as the Washington, D.C. International in the USA). Tulloch's Caulfield Cup time of 2:26.9 for a mile and a half (2414 meters) stood for 43 years until in 2000 when Diatribe ran 2:25.32 for 2400 meters lowering Tulloch's time by .73 (73/100) of a second, however, no 3-year-old horse in recorded history has ever covered one and one half miles on turf carrying that weight faster than Tulloch.

Tulloch was installed as favourite for the Melbourne Cup - it was rumoured that Smith had a wager of £33,000 to £1,000 that Tulloch would win the Cups double. A Sydney newspaper ran a story on the Monday after the Caulfield Cup that quoted the owner EA Haley as saying that Tulloch would never run in the Melbourne Cup as he did not fancy running 3yos over two miles, especially with the 8 stone 5 pounds (53 kg) burden he had been allotted. The rest of the newspapers were full of Tommy Smith predicting how far Tulloch would win the Cup by and the debate raged leading up to the race if the great horse would run or not. Whilst the controversy ensured an exciting lead up to the Cup, Tulloch won the VRC Derby, beating Prince Darius by eight lengths.

Scratched from the Melbourne Cup, punters were left to wonder what might have been, as Straight Draw downed Prince Darius by a neck with Pandie Sun a further 2½ lengths further back in third. The weight for age (w.f.a.) CB Fisher Plate was next on the agenda with Tulloch easily accounting for Sailors Guide, before he was taken seven days later to Brisbane for the QTC Derby, which he won by seven lengths.

Returning in the autumn, Prince Darius defeated Tulloch in the St George Stakes over nine furlongs, Prince Darius again beat Tulloch in the VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes over 12F, but the winner was another old adversary, Sailors Guide. Third up Tulloch won the VRC St Leger, before heading to Sydney to win the Rawson Stakes, Chipping Norton Stakes, AJC St Leger, All Aged Stakes and the AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Tulloch had 16 starts for 14 wins, one second and one third as a three-year-old. His lifetime record now stood at 29: 21-7-1. His fame had spread and Haley refused massive overseas offers for his horse. Grand plans were formulated to campaign Tulloch in the United States and England, but in April 1958, Tulloch developed a mysterious stomach disease that almost killed him. Over the next two years Tulloch suffered recurring infections and severe weight loss.

1959/1960: Five-Year-Old Season

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Remarkably, Tulloch returned to the track on 12 March 1960 - almost two years after he first became sick. First up in the VRC Queens Plate over 10 Furlongs, Tulloch defeated Lord, (who won the Caulfield Stakes (thrice), Memsie Stakes (4 times), St George Stakes (twice), C F Orr Stakes (twice), Underwood Stakes (twice)), by a short head. Tulloch then won the Chipping Norton Stakes, Craven Plate and the P.J. O'Shea Stakes to finish off a successful autumn return.

The 1960 Melbourne Cup was the aim in the spring, and in his lead up Tulloch won the Cox Plate, LKS Mackinnon Stakes and VRC Queens Plate. Under 10 stone 1 pound (approx 64 kg) in the Melbourne Cup and starting 3/1 favourite, Tulloch finished an unlucky seventh, the race being won by Hi Jinx. This was to be Tulloch's only unplaced run in his career and also one of the worst rides by[8] top jockey Neville Sellwood who had Tulloch positioned 60 lengths behind the leader with six furlongs (1200 metres) to go and left his run too late.[9] After the Cup Tulloch again took out the CB Fisher Plate.

Returning for the autumn Tulloch won the AJC Autumn Stakes and the AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes before going to Brisbane where he again won the P.J. O'Shea Stakes. His last race was the 1961 Brisbane Cup which he won by 1¾ lengths.

After returning from his debilitating illness, Tulloch had a record of 24: 15-5-3 with 1 unplaced run. Thirteen of these wins were at w.f.a. in principal (stakes) races.

At the end of his career, Tulloch had won 19 Group One races. He also twice won the no longer contested Autumn Stakes (with winners such as Ming Dynasty, Balmerino, Gunsynd, Rain Lover, Galilee, Beau Vite, Peter Pan, Nightmarch, Heroic, and Carbine), as well as the no longer contested VRC Queens Plate (winners such as Leilani, Gunsynd, Rain Lover, Galilee, Lord, Ajax, Phar Lap, Wallace, and Carbine), both of which would be categorised as Group One races by today's standard. Seven races that Tulloch won are now Group 2 races and two are Group 3. The VRC St Leger (now only a listed race) and AJC St Leger were principal (stakes) races in Tulloch's era, which indicates how impressive his record was then.[10]

Race Record

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1956/1957: Two-Year-Old Season
Result Race Venue Distance (fur) Weight (st.lb) Time Jockey Winner/2nd
2nd AJC Breeders' Plate Randwick 5 8.5 0:59.7 G. Moore Flying Kurana 1st
Won AJC Canonbury Stakes Randwick 5 8.5 1:01.3 G. Moore Prince Darius 2nd
Won VATC Gwyn Nursery Caulfield 5 8.10 1:02.0 A. Ward Good Summer 2nd
2nd VRC Maribyrnong Plate Flemington 5 8.10 1:00.0 G. Moore Concert Star 1st
Won VRC Byron Moore Stakes Flemington 5 8.5 0:58.75 A. Ward Bomba 2nd
2nd STC Two Year Old Hcp Rosehill 6 9.2 1:14.6 W. Dinham Diamond Vista 1st
2nd VATC Merson Cooper Stakes Caulfield 6 8.10 1:10.3 A. Ward Cherete 1st
Won VRC Sires Produce Stakes Flemington 7 8.10 1:27.0 A. Ward Ace High 2nd
2nd VRC Ascot Vale Stakes Flemington 6 9.1 1:12.25 A. Ward Ace High 1st
Won AJC Fairfield Hcp Warwick Farm 6 9.5 1:12.4 G. Moore Prince Darius 2nd
Won AJC Sires Produce Stakes Randwick 7 8.10 1:25.2 G. Moore Todman 2nd
2nd AJC Champagne Stakes Randwick 6 9.6 1:10.0 G. Moore Todman 1st
Won QTC Sires Produce Stakes Eagle Farm 7 8.10 1:24.4 G. Moore Civil Jury 2nd
1957/1958: Three-Year-Old Season
Result Race Venue Distance (fur) Weight (st.lb) Time Jockey Winner/2nd
Won AJC Warwick Stakes Warwick Farm 7 7.11 1:25.6 F. Lehmann Prince Jambo 2nd
Won STC Rosehill Guineas Rosehill 10 8.5 2:06.3 G. Moore Prince Darius 2nd
Won AJC Derby Randwick 12 8.10 2:29.1 G. Moore Prince Darius 2nd
Won VATC Caulfield Guineas Caulfield 8 8.10 1:37.8 G. Moore Gay Saba 2nd
Won VATC Caulfield Cup Caulfield 12 7.8 2:26.9 N. Sellwood Mac's Amber 2nd
Won VRC Derby Flemington 12 8.10 2:33.5 G. Moore Prince Darius 2nd
Won VRC C B Fisher Plate Flemington 12 7.9 2:35.25 N. Sellwood Sailor's Guide 2nd
Won QTC Derby Stakes Eagle Farm 12 8.10 2:32.5 G. Moore Mon Frere 2nd
2nd VATC St George Stakes Caulfield 9 8.3 1:55.3 G. Moore Prince Darius 1st
3rd VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes Flemington 13 8.2 2:42.0 G. Moore Sailor's Guide 1st
Won VRC St Leger Stakes Flemington 14 8.10 3:02.0 G. Moore Tuki 2nd
Won STC Rawson Stakes Rosehill 9 8.4 1:52.3 G. Moore Caranna 2nd
Won AJC Chipping Norton Stakes Warwick Farm 10 8.4 2:05.8 G. Moore Baron Boissier 2nd
Won AJC St Leger Randwick 14 8.10 ?? G. Moore Prince Darius 2nd
Won AJC All Aged Stakes Randwick 8 8.8 1:36.3 G. Moore Grenoble 2nd
Won AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes Randwick 14 8.4 3:09.7 G. Moore Baron Boissier 2nd
  • In April 1958 Tulloch contracted a stomach virus which was so severe as to bring the horse close to death. Tulloch did not race for almost two years. It was not until 12 March 1960 that Tulloch returned to racing as a five-year-old.
1959/1960: Five-Year-Old Season
Result Race Venue Distance (fur) Weight (st.lb) Time Jockey Winner/2nd
Won VRC Queens Plate Flemington 10  9.2 2:03.5 N. Sellwood Lord 2nd
Won AJC Chipping Norton Stakes Warwick Farm 10  9.2 2:04.9 N. Sellwood Trellios 2nd
Won AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes Randwick 14  9.3 2:58.2 N. Sellwood Sir Blink 2nd
Won AJC Autumn Stakes Randwick 12  9.3 2:30.0 N. Sellwood Prince Darius 2nd
Won QTC P.J. O'Shea Stakes Eagle Farm 10½ 9.1 2:18.2 N. Sellwood Macdougal 2nd
1960/1961: Six-Year-Old Season
Result Race Venue Distance (fur) Weight (st.lb) Time Jockey Winner/2nd
Won Tatts (NSW) Chelmsford Stakes Randwick 9 9.4 1:49.9 N. Selwood Second Earl 2nd
2nd AJC Colin Stephen Stakes Randwick 12 9.6 2:32.4 N. Sellwood Valerius 1st
2nd AJC George Main Stakes Randwick 8 9.3 1:37.4 N. Sellwood Second Earl 1st
Won AJC Craven Plate Randwick 10 9.4 2:05.0 N. Sellwood Persian Lyric 2nd
Won MVRC W S Cox Plate Moonee Valley 10 9.4 2:01.1 N. Sellwood Dhaulagiri 2nd
Won VRC LKS MacKinnon Stakes Flemington 10 9.4 2:02.25 N. Sellwood Lord 2nd
7th VRC Melbourne Cup Flemington 16 10.1 3:23.75 N. Sellwood Hi Jinx 1st
Won VRC C B Fisher Plate Flemington 12 9.5 2:40.0 N. Sellwood Dhaulagiri 2nd
3rd VATC St George Stakes Caulfield 9 9.2 1:51.6 G. Moore Dhaulagiri 1st
3rd VRC Queens Plate Flemington 10 9.2 2:03.0 G. Moore Lord 1st
3rd VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes Flemington 12 9.3 2:29.75 G. Moore Dhaulagiri 1st
2nd AJC Telegraph Invitation Stakes Randwick 12 9.5 2:28.6 G. Moore Persian Lyric 1st
Won AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes Randwick 14 9.3 2:57.4 G. Moore Nilarco 2nd
Won AJC Autumn Stakes Randwick 12 9.3 2:27.7 G. Moore Nilarco 2nd
2nd AJC Sydney Cup Randwick 16 9.13 3:24.9 G. Moore Sharply 1st
2nd STC Caltex Quality Hcp Rosehill 12 9.7 2:32.2 G. Moore Savage 1st
Won PARC SJ Pullman Select Stakes Cheltenham 12 9.5 2:31.1 B. Pyers Vice Master 2nd
Won QTC PJ O'Shea Stakes Eagle Farm 10½ 9.1 2:15.4 G. Moore Aladdin's Lamp 2nd
Won QTC Brisbane Cup Eagle Farm 16 9.12 3:22.7 G. Moore Sharply 2nd
  • Total: 53 starts: 36 wins, 12 seconds, 4 thirds, 1 unplaced.

Stud record

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Tulloch stood at Haley's Te Koona Stud where he did not perform up to his racetrack standard. He sired two stakes winners, in Dahma Star (1967 Christmas Cup) and Valide (1968 SA Oaks). Tulloch died at Old Gowang Stud near Coonabarabran on 30 June 1969.

Honours

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Tulloch was one of the five inaugural inductees into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame, and was also inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame. In 1978 he was honoured on a postage stamp issued by Australia Post.[11]

Pedigree

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Pedigree of Tulloch (NZ) (24), bay or brown stallion, 1954[12]
Sire
Khorassan (IRE)
1947
Big Game (GB)
1939
Bahram (GB)
1932
Blandford (IRE)
Friars Daughter (GB)
Myrobella (IRE)
1932
Tetratema (GB)
Dollabella (IRE)
Naishapur (IRE)
1942
Nearco (ITY)
1935
Pharos (GB)
Nogara (ITY)
Udaipur (GB)
1929
Blandford (IRE)
Uganda (FR)
Dam
Florida (NZ)
1945
Salmagundi (GB)
1924
Phalaris (GB)
1913
Polymelus (GB)
Bromus (GB)
Salamandra (IRE)
1913
St. Frusquin (GB)
Electra (GB)
Island Linnet (NZ)
1929
Songbird (NZ)
1918
Kilbroney (GB)
Grey Linnet (GB)
Unawed (NZ)
1918
Markhope (GB)
Unawares (NZ)

See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^ Tulloch Retrieved 11 May 2009
  2. ^ a b Pring, Peter (1977). Analysis of Champion Racehorses. Sydney: The Thoroughbred Press. p. 494. ISBN 0-908133-00-6.
  3. ^ Trelawaney Stud Retrieved 25 April 2009
  4. ^ Khorassan (IRE) Retrieved 2010-11-20
  5. ^ "The Age - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
  6. ^ "The Age - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
  7. ^ a b c "Half a century on, Tulloch's still the measuring stick". The Age. 22 April 2008.
  8. ^ Max Presnell. 2010. "The year jockey Sellwood missed the boat and Tulloch missed a place." Sydney Morning Herald, The, 25 October. 29. Australia/New Zealand Reference Centre, EBSCOhost (accessed 29 October 2010)
  9. ^ Ross, John, ed. (1990). Chronicle of the 20th Century. Chronicle Australasia Ltd/Penguin Books. p. 856. ISBN 1-872031-80-3.
  10. ^ "Half a century on, Tulloch's still the measuring stick". The Age. 22 April 2008.
  11. ^ "Australia 20c stamp".
  12. ^ AJC & VRC, "Australian Stud Book", Vol. 39, Gillingham Printers Pty. Ltd. Underdale, 1997

Bibliography

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  • Linnett, Ken (2017). Tulloch: The extraordinary life and times of a true champion. Melbourne: The Slattery Media Group. ISBN 9780958029032.
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