Tawrrific
{{Short description|New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred racehorse}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox racehorse
| horsename = Tawrrific
| image =
| caption =
| sire = Tawfiq
| grandsire = Blushing Groom
| dam = Joyarty
| damsire = Noble Bijou
| sex = Stallion
| foaled = 21 November 1984
| death_date = {{death year and age|1999|1984}}
| country = New Zealand
| colour = Bay
| breeder = Mr N. T. Broderick & Mesdames L. H. Lillicrapp & M. J. Secretan
| owner = B. F. Avery, et al.
| trainer = Lee Freedman
| record = 67: 9-7-8
| earnings = A$1,558,434
| race = South Australian St Leger (1988)
AJC St Leger (1989)
Melbourne Cup (1989)
CB Cox Stakes (1989)
| awards=
| honours =
| updated= 29 October 2009
}}
Tawrrific (1984–1999) was a Thoroughbred racehorse who is best remembered for winning the 1989 Melbourne Cup.[http://www.ozeform.com/Racing/MelbourneCup/Results/1989.aspx 1989 Melbourne Cup result] Trained by Lee Freedman and ridden by Shane Dye, he won in the then record time of three minutes and 17.1 seconds.
Early career
After doing his early racing in New Zealand, Tawrrific won the South Australian St Leger at three, and, despite finishing 12th in the 1988 Melbourne Cup, had shown staying talent in winning the AJC St Leger at four, and finishing fourth in the Sydney and Brisbane Cups.[http://www.racingvictoria.net.au/Racing/horse.aspx?horse_code=231832 Tawrrific's racing career]
Melbourne Cup winner
Allotted 54 kilograms for the 1989 Melbourne Cup, Tawrrific was placed in lead-up races at Sandown, Caulfield, Flemington, and Moonee Valley, but fell out of favour with many punters when finishing second-last in the Caulfield Cup. In the Melbourne Cup, Tawrrific came down the centre of the track with a well-timed run by Dye, and defeated his stablemate Super Impose by just over two lengths. The victory was Freedman's first in the race, and a significant career milestone for the young trainer.[http://www.freedman.com.au/galleryofstars Freedman Racing (Trainer's web site)] The win also significant in the rise of Dye, a former champion apprentice in New Zealand.
Later career
Following the Melbourne Cup, Tawrrific won the Cox Stakes, in Perth, and raced for a further 18 months, but with limited success. At six, he won a race over 2,500 metres at Flemington – which now carries Listed status – and finished 16th in the 1990 Melbourne Cup.
Stud career
Exported to Ireland on 15 January 1999, Tawrrific stood as a jumps stallion at Tullaghansleek Stud in Castletown-Geoghegan in County Westmeath,[http://www.thejoyofhorses.com/march99/gray.htm Tawrrific at Tullaghansleek Stud (including picture from the 1989 Melbourne Cup)] and the Australian Stud Book records him as the sire of two stakeswinners. Tawriffic died just a few months later from a twisted bowel.[http://www.studbook.org.au/Horse.aspx?hid=52315 Australian Stud Book – Summary for Tawrrific]
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.pedigreequery.com/tawrrific Tawrrific's pedigree and partial racing stats]