Some Surprise At Tulloch’s Weight

Press, Volume C, Issue 29444, 21 February 1961, Page 4

Some Surprise At Tulloch’s Weight

(N.Z. Preu Association—Copyright)

SYDNEY, February 20, The Australian Jocke; Club handicapper, Mr Ken Goodwin, surprised most racing experts last night when he weighted Tulloch on 9st 131 b for the £15300 Sydney Cup to be run on April 3. Very few people expected Tulloch to receive less than lOst Mr Goodwin alloted the Victorian sprinter Tudor Hill top weight of 9st 61b for the £ 10.000 Doncaster Handicap to be run on April 1. Last year Mr Goodwin weighted Tulloch on lOst for the Sydney Cup when it was unknown whether the champion would be able to make a “come-baek” from the ailment which threatened his life. Since Mr Goodwin alloted Tulloch lOst for last year’s Sydney Cup, the champion has raced 13 times for 10 wins, two seconds and his Melbourne Cup failure. Tulloch’s only unplaced effort in his 42 starts was his seventh in the last Melbourne Cup when he carried lOst lib. which was 91b more than weight-for-age. The trainer T. J. Smith, was overjoyed when be heard Tulloch’s weight. "That’s lovely. B’s the sensible way, to handicap a good horse. He has not crushed him.’! Smith said. Smith said he had estimated Tulloch's weight would be lOst Mr Peter Haley, son of Tulloch’s owner, Mr E. A. Haley, was also happy with i the horse's weight “I thought he would get lOst 4tb,” he said.

The Sydney trainer, R. C. Roden, angrily criticised Tulloch’s weight.- “It's ridiculous, Macdougal is within 91b of Tulloch, which means we have no chance of beating him,” Roden said. The New Zealand-bred Maedougall is weighted on 9st 4Jb, which is exactly weight-for-age. In the last Melbourne Cup Macdougal carried 9st 31b and finished ninth. "Courageous Stand” The “Sydney Morning Herald” said today that many racegoers would applaud Mr Goodwin for his courageous ’ stand with Tulloch. “He has left himself open to much criticism but he also has not "crucified’ Tulloch as many handicappers did with champion stayers of the past,” the "Herald” said. Mr Goodwin’s handicapping of Tulloch would mean that the champion would be a certain starter for the cup. In such an event, a record attendance would be attracted 'to Randwick on Chip day, especially if Tulloch is within striking distance of his £lOO.OOO stakes goal, and retirement Mr Goodwin weighted 98 horses for the race, and of these 38 were put on the limit (Tat). The Wellington Cup winner, Great Sensation is within 81b of Tulloch, and MacDougall, the New Zealand-bred winner of the 1959 Melbourne Cup, receives 91b from the champion. Cup records are against Tulloch winning the Sydney Cup as the last highlyweighted horse to win the