T. J. Smith sued

Press, 10 February 1981, Page 22

T. J. Smith sued

NZPA Sydney A prominent Irish horse breeder has started a Supreme Court action in Sydney against the leading trainer, T. J. Smith, in connection with the sale of the imported stallion, Galway Bay. Mrs Margaret Mullion, who controls the Ardenode Bloodstock Stud, is suing .Smith.for a substantial sum which she has alleged in a statement of claim is due to her from the sale of the horse. Mrs Mullion has claimed that Smith was acting as her agent in the transaction. The.matter is due to come before the Supreme Court on Thursday, and a date is expected to be set down then for the hearing. Smith, who is defending the claim, has denied all liability and set out in his defence that he was not an agent for Mrs Mullion in the sale transaction. Mrs Mullion is the wife of international shipping and oil operator, Jim Mullion. She is the owner of the Ardenode Bloodstock, Ltd, and is widely known in British and Irish racing circles.

Both Mrs Mullion and Ardenode Bloodstock, Ltd, have been listed as plaintiffs. Galway Bay was owned by Ardenode and leased by Mrs Mullion. The- imported stallion earned a total of $129,310 in prize money during his Australian racing career. He was trained in Australia by Smith and had three wins, six seconds and four third placings. His most important successes were in the 1977 Craven A Stakes at Flemington and, a week later, the George Adams Handicap at Flemington, In October, 1978, Victoria Racing Club officials barred Galway Bay from racing after a bleeding attack during a workout at Flemington. The stallion had previously been barred from racing for three months after bleeding during a race at Perth during the 1977 Christmas carnival. In January, 1979, the horse was reported to have been bought by John Sanders to stand as a syndicated stallion at his Napier Paris Stud at Euroa In Victoria,