KARAKA 2006: Marks 50th Anniversary of Sale of Tulloch

In a milestone for the New Zealand thoroughbred industry, the forthcoming National Yearling Sales Series will mark the 50th anniversary of the sale of champion racehorse, Tulloch, through its auction ring.

Breeding expert, Brian Russell, reports on this auspicious occasion:

"The 2006 New Zealand yearling sales which are to be conducted over seven days commencing January 30 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the acquisition at these sales of a horse who challenges as one of the two greatest secured in Australasian selling. He is Tulloch and few can doubt that he is worthy of sharing this distinction with a 1928 New Zealand sale product, Phar Lap.

Purchased for the modest price of $278, Phar Lap went on to win 37 of 51 starts including the Melbourne Cup, VRC and AJC Derbys, two renewals of the Cox Plate and to finish with an awe inspiring victory in track record time in his only American start.

Tulloch on the other hand was one of a shipment of horses bought by the late T.J. Smith at the 1956 New Zealand sale, one at which he cost $1575 and drew a comment from a prominent NZ breeder that the trainer had made a mistake. Flogged off to long time country owner Ted Haley of Te Koona, Wimbledon, Bathurst, the "mistake" went on to race 53 times for 36 wins, about 18 of which were Group 1 class.

More brilliant than Phar Lap, Tulloch was a leading two-year-old, winning the AJC Sires' Produce Stakes - beating Todman, VRC Sires' Produce Stakes and QTC Sires' Produce Stakes and one of the most outstanding three-year-olds of all time. In the latter year he ran 16 times for 14 wins in major events including the Caulfield Cup, Caulfield Guineas, AJC, VRC and QTC Derbys, AJC and VRC St Legers and the Rosehill Guineas.

He smashed Phar Lap's race record in taking the AJC Derby by six lengths, set a new Australian record for a mile and a half (2400m) in succeeding in the Caulfield Cup by three lengths and won the AJC St Leger by a conservative 20 lengths and the Victorian St Leger by 14.

After being flattened by near fatal illness,Tulloch raced again at five and six and annexed the Brisbane Cup, Cox Plate, L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes and two renewals of the AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes. His total prize money of just over $220,000 was a new Australian record high.

It will be freakish if there is a new Tulloch or Phar Lap in the massive line up of 1528 yearlings got together by New Zealand Bloodstock for the 2006 sale, one covered by three catalaogues, but there will be undoubtedly many first class horses among them including some who will challenge as Australasian champions.

Among the top sources of winners strongly represented are Zabeel (24 lots), Volksraad (GB) (47), Cape Cross (IRE) (41), Stravinsky (USA) (36), Pins (42), Montjeu (IRE) (54), O'Reilly (52), Tale of the Cat (USA) (12) and Pentire (GB) (42).

When yearlings which were to become Phar Lap and Tulloch were offered at New Zealand sales, you could count those by Australian based sires on the fingers of one hand. In contrast at least 150 of lots available this year were got in Australia with the sires including such notables as Redoute's Choice, Catbird, Show a Heart, More Than Ready (USA), Red Ransom (USA), Rock of Gibraltar (GB), Quest for Fame (GB), Galileo (IRE), Fusaichi Pegasus (USA), Giant's Causeway (USA), Encosta de Lago, Hussonet (USA), Fantastic Light (USA), Choisir, Danehill Dancer (IRE), Royal Academy (USA) and Strategic."