One of the three finest Thoroughbred racehorses in Australian racing history has to be Tulloch. Foaled in New Zealand in 1954, the brown colt by Khorassan out of Florida by Salmagundi, was bought as a yearling for 750 guineas by trainer Tommy J. Smith in 1956. The colt’s intelligence and impressive breed made E. A. Haley take notice of his racing prowess. It didn’t take long for Tulloch get used to winning, even though he came second in his first start in the AJC Breeders Plate as a two-year-old in 1956. The following week, Tulloch made it to the winning post in the Cannonbury Stakes, followed by two wins in Melbourne and a second place in the VRC Maribyrnong Plate.
Tulloch was a cautious starter, taking a couple of races to get back into victory mode. In 1956 that Autumn, the colt ran in the VATC Merson Copper Stakes and a 2-year olds handicap race in Sydney only to run 2nd in both races. Tulloch, however again reaffirmed his greatness on the racecourse with a win beating Ace High in the VRC Sires Produce Stakes. Sydney was Tulloch’s favorite hunting ground, winning the Fairfield Handicap at Warwick Farm Racecourse and the AJC Sires Produce Stakes, a race after which Todman avenged his defeat by beating Tulloch by six lengths in the Champagne Stakes.
Tommy Smith and Tulloch turned their attention to the turf in Brisbane with a win in the QTC Sires Produce Stakes. As a two-year old Tulloch had already done his owner and trainer proud with an impressive 7 wins and 6 second places in just 13 races which included races for 2-year-olds at Flemington, Caulfield, and Warwick Farm Racecourse.
In his third year, Tulloch kept getting stronger with an amazing win in his first outing in the 1957 Warwick Stakes, beating top opposition in the form of Melbourne Cup winner, MacDougal and Monte Carlo, winner of the AJC Derby and VRC Derby and LKS Mackinnon Stakes. Coming back to his own age group, Tulloch got the better of Prince Darius in the Rosehill Guineas and the AJC Derby by a massive 6 lengths, breaking Phar Lap’s record which was established in 1929.
Melbourne didn’t stop Tulloch in his tracks with another impressive victory in the Caulfield Guineas followed by another blistering run in the Caulfield Cup, won in 2:26.9, the fastest time in the world over a mile and a half. This win was most impressive since Tulloch stormed ahead of Mac’s Amber, winner of the Chipping Norton Stakes and Toorak Handicap, by two lengths.
Unaware of his owner’s plans not to feature him in the Melbourne Cup, Tulloch raced ahead in the VRC Derby, beating his old rival Prince Darius by an overwhelming 8 lengths. Owner E. A. Haley left punters in the lurch in the Melbourne Cup by withdrawing Tulloch, stating his apprehension at running 3-year-olds over two miles with a 8 stone 5 pound handicap, leaving the field open for Straight Draw, who got the better of Prince Darius in the Melbourne Cup. However, Tulloch’s winning ways continued with a win in the WFA CB Fisher Plate, and another impressive 7-length victory in the QTC Derby in Brisbane, a week later. His next win was the VRC St Leger then he travelled to Sydney and won the Rawson Stakes, AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes, AJC St Leger, the Chipping Norton Stakes and the All Aged Stakes. This ended his run with 16 starts with 14 wins, 1 second and 1 third as a three-year-old.
Tulloch’s lifetime record stood at 21 wins from 29 starts with 7 second places, and 1 third place, a record that prompted his owner to make grand plans for a stint in the USA and England. However, a mysterious stomach disorder led to severe weight loss and recurring infections, keeping the champion out of racing condition for two years. However, the 12th of March 1960 brought Tulloch on the comeback trail with wins in the VRC Queens Plate over 10 Furlongs, followed by equally impressive triumphs in the Chipping Norton Stakes, Craven Plate and the PJ O’Shea Stakes.
In a lead up to the 1960 Melbourne Cup, Tulloch won the Cox Plate, VRC Queens Plate, and LKS Mackinnon Stakes. However, luck did not favour him in the Melbourne Cup, finishing seventh in a race won by Hi Jinx. With the CB Fisher Plate, Tulloch wrapped up his victories in spring, and returned in the autumn with wins in the AJC Autumn Stakes and the AJC Queen Elizabeth, followed by the PJ O’Shea Stakes in Brisbane. Tulloch called it a day after his win by 1 ¾ lengths in the 1961 Brisbane Cup. 19 of the races that the colt won during his career are now classified as Group 1 races, which is enough proof of his mettle and earn him a proud place in the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame.
