Tulloch Will Still Try For Stake

Press, Volume C, Issue 29480, 5 April 1961, Page 5

Tulloch Will Still Try For Stake

(NJ!. Press Aaociatton—CopvTiglU) SYDNEY, April 4. Tulloch will continue racing in quest of £lOO,OOO in stake money. But he will not be “crucified” just to have him achieve the stakemoney goal. This was announced today by Mr Peter Haley, son of Tulloch’s owner, Mr E. A. Haley. Because the nresent views low success.” one Melbourne

Because the present views of the horse’s trainer, T. J. Smith, and Mr Haley conflict, Tulloch’s programme is indefinite. Smith is keen to run Tulloch in the P. J. O'Shea Stakes and the Brisbane Cup at Eagle Farm. Mr Haley wants to run him only in weight-for-age events. Tulloch has won £97,973 10s, and needs £2026 10s to become the first racehorse in Australia to have won £lOO,OOO. At present the O'Shea Stakes is worth only £lO5O to the winner, but should he win that even a placing in the Brisbane Cup would take him over £lOO,OOO. The clip is worth £12,315, including a trophy, and of this £2400 goes to the second horse, and £l2OO to the third. In a bid to attract Tulloch, the Queensland Turf Club could increase the stakemoney for the O’Shea Stakes and provide sufficient money to take the champion to £lOO,OOO if he won it. Could Be Increased The chairman of the Queensland Turf Club, Dr. J. Power, has said there is nothing to stop his committee increasing prize money, oven t.hmi.srh nnnditionß of

the race already have been published. Mr Peter Haley said today: “Personally I am against running Tulloch in any handicap races, but if the Brisbane Cup is reduced to a weak field there is a possibility he could start.” Mr Haley added: “But we do not intend to crucify him just to satisfy our own desires to see him win £lOO,OOO. He is too valuable a horse. We have him inspected by a veterinary surgeon twice a day, seven days a week and if any weakness is discerned he will not be kept in training. “Even if Tulloch fails In his £lOO,OOO bid, his racing career will finish in June.” Tulloch could reach his goal also by running in Adelaide in April and May. He could contest the S. J. Pullatnn Select Stakes (one mile and a half) at Cheltenham on April 29 and the W.F.A. Elder Stakes (9 furlongs) at Morphettvilie on May 6. Wins in these races plus the O’Shea Stakes would take his winnings beyond £lOO,OOO.

“If Tulloch has to find his £lOO,OOO through a Brisbane Cup placing it will be a hoi-

low success/' one Melbourne turf writer said today. “It seems that Mr Haley missed the bus in 1957 when he wouldn’t run Tulloch in the Melbourne Cup because he didn’t want to knock the horse about. I can’t help feeling that Tulloch that year would have had a much easier run than he did in the Sydney Cup under 9-13, when accepted by his connexions as not being the horse he was. “Peter Haley’s own words are that Tulloch touched the peak of his career on the last day of the V.R.C. spring meeting in 1957. Since his come-back in March last year Tulloch has had to struggle for wins he would have once achieved with his head on his chest. “It was sad to see him being held by Sharply at the end of the Sydney Cup. This is particularly so when it is remembered that not long after Tulloch made his dramatic come-back at Flemington last year, Sharply had his first run, unplaced in an improvers’ race at Kembla Grange.”