Todman

{{Short description|Thoroughbred racehorse}}

{{For|the surname|Todman (surname)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}

{{Use Australian English|date=November 2011}}

{{Infobox racehorse

|horsename= Todman

|image=

|caption=

|sire= Star Kingdom

|grandsire= Stardust

|dam= Oceana

|damsire= Colombo

|sex= Stallion

|foaled = {{birth date|1954|10|7|df=y}}

|death_date = {{death date and age|1976|6|13|1954|10|7|df=y}}

|country= Australia

|colour= Chestnut

|breeder= Stanley Wootton

|owner=

|trainer=

|record= 12:10-1-0

|earnings=

|race= Golden Slipper Stakes (1957)
Champagne Stakes (1957)
Hobartville Stakes (1957)
Canterbury Guineas (1957)
Lightning Stakes (1960)
Futurity Stakes (1960)

|awards=

| honours = Australian Racing Hall of Fame
Todman Stakes run at Randwick Racecourse

|updated=

}}

Todman (7 October 1954 – 1976) was one of the greatest Australian Thoroughbred racehorses and an important sire. He was perhaps best known as the winner of the inaugural STC Golden Slipper in 1957, being the first of Star Kingdom's five successive winners of the race. In 2023, he was described as "the best winner of the race".

{{cite news| work= The Sydney Morning Herald | title=Champ or chump? Demon Darb's meat pie barb put to the test|author=Max Presnell| url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/racing/champ-or-chump-demon-darb-s-meat-pie-barb-put-to-the-test-20230317-p5ct0n.html}} He was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2005.

Background

Todman was bred at Alf Ellison's Baramul Stud in the Widden Valley, New South Wales by Stanley Wootton who had imported his sire, Star Kingdom (IRE) and also Newtown Wonder (GB) to Australia. He was a striking chestnut stallion from Oceana (GB) by Colombo. He was a brother to Noholme II (winner of the AJC Epsom Handicap, Cox Plate etc. and a successful sire in US) and the stakes producing sires Faringdon and Shifnal.[http://www.studbook.org.au/horse.aspx?hid=306452&pagetype=OFFSPRINGWINS Todman] Retrieved on 2009-6-20

Todman won from six furlongs to {{frac|9|1|2}} furlongs and was successful five times in races that are now classed as Group One races. Todman was a notable sprinter, winning his first race by 10 lengths. He then won the Golden Slipper Stakes by eight lengths and the Champagne Stakes by six lengths when he defeated Tulloch. He also won the Canterbury Guineas by eight lengths and ran record times in seven of his 10 wins. Todman raced 12 times for 10 wins, one second, and one unplaced.

File:Baramul Stud.jpg

Racing record

= 1956–57 season as a two-year-old =

class="wikitable"
style="background:silver; color:black"

!Result

!Race

!Venue

!Distance
(fur)

!Weight
(st.lb)

!Time

!Jockey

Won

|AJC Juvenile Hcp

|Randwick

| align="right"|5

| align="right"|8.3

|0:57.8

|N. Sellwood

Won

|AJC December Stakes

|Randwick

| align="right"|6

| align="right"|8.5

|1:11.6

|N. Sellwood

Won

|STC Welter Hcp

|Rosehill

| align="right"|6

| align="right"|8.7

|1:11.4

|N. Sellwood

Won

|STC Golden Slipper Stakes

|Rosehill

| align="right"|6

| align="right"|8.7

|1:11.4

|N. Sellwood

2nd

|AJC Sires Produce Stakes

|Randwick

| align="right"|7

| align="right"|8.10

|1:25.2

|N. Sellwood

Won

|AJC Champagne Stakes

|Randwick

| align="right"|6

| align="right"|8.10

|1:10.0

|N. Sellwood

= 1957–58 season as a three-year-old =

class="wikitable"
style="background:silver; color:black"

!Result

!Race

!Venue

!Distance
(fur)

!Weight
(st.lb)

!Time

!Jockey

Won

|AJC Hobartville Stakes

|Warwick Farm

| align="right"|7

| align="right"|8.10

|1:25.8

|N. Sellwood

Won

|STC Canterbury Guineas

|Canterbury

| align="right"|9.5

| align="right"|8.5

|2:0.0

|N. Sellwood

last

|STC Hill Stakes

|Rosehill

| align="right"|8.5

| align="right"|7.9

|1:44.2

|N. Sellwood

= 1958–59 season as a four-year-old =

Todman did not race as a 4yo, he broke down in the Hill Stakes and did not resume racing until just over two years later.

= 1959–60 season as a five-year-old =

class="wikitable"
style="background:silver; color:black"

!Result

!Race

!Venue

!Distance
(fur)

!Weight
(st.lb)

!Time

!Jockey

Won

|STC Flying Hcp

|Canterbury

| align="right"|6

| align="right"|9.7

|1:10.9

|N. Sellwood

Won

|VRC Lightning Stakes

|Flemington

| align="right"|5

| align="right"|9

|0:59.25

|N. Sellwood

Won

|VATC Futurity Stakes

|Caulfield

| align="right"|7

| align="right"|10.2

|1:23.8

|N. Sellwood

Pedigree

{{Pedigree

|name = Todman, bay stallion, 1954{{cite web|title=Todman|url=https://www.pedigreequery.com/todman|website=pedigreequery.com|access-date=March 7, 2025}}

|f = Star Kingdom (IRE)
1946

|m = Oceana (AUS)
1947

|ff = Stardust (GB)
1937

|fm = Impromptu (IRE)
1939

|mf = Colombo (GB)
1931

|mm = Orama (GB)
1932

|fff = Hyperion

|ffm = Sister Stella

|fmf = Concerto

|fmm = Thoughtless

|mff = Manna

|mfm = Lady Nairne

|mmf = Diophon

|mmm = Cantelupe

|ffff = Gainsborough

|fffm = Selene

|ffmf = Friar Marcus

|ffmm = Etoile

|fmff = Orpheus

|fmfm = Constellation

|fmmf = Papyrus

|fmmm = Virgin's Folly

|mfff = Phalaris

|mffm = Waffles

|mfmf = Chaucer

|mfmm = Lammermuir

|mmff = Grand Parade

|mmfm = Donetta

|mmmf = Amadis

|mmmm = Lupercalia

}}

Stud record

Todman commenced stud duty in 1960 and stood at the Widden StudWard, Frederick R. (recorder), Australian Register of Thoroughbred Stallions Vol., 5, 1974, Excelsis Press, Sydney and Baramul Studs in the Widden Valley.de Bourg, Ross, The Australian and New Zealand Thoroughbred, Nelson, West Melbourne, 1980, {{ISBN|0-17-005860-3}} He sired 30 stakeswinners with 63 stakeswins including Golden Slipper winners Eskimo Prince (1964) and Sweet Embrace (1967), Blue Diamond winners Blazing Saddles (1977) and New Gleam (1973) as well as other quality stakes winning racehorses, such as Ricochet, Imposing and Crewman (five stakeswins). His progeny have won more than $2.27 million. Daughters of Todman have produced the winners of more than $2.36 million.Australian Thoroughbred Statistical Record, Vol., 2 – 1979; Racing Services Bureau, Melbourne These winners saw Todman win at least 13 financial sires' premierships to make him one of the best locally bred sires produced in Australasia.

Todman died on 13 June 1976 at the Widden Stud, where he had spent his last four years. He was buried and commemorated by a headstone placed beside Star Kingdom's headstone at the Baramul Stud.Pring, Peter; The Star Kingdom Story, The Thoroughbred Press, Sydney, 1983, {{ISBN|0-908133-06-5}} In 1978 at least 51 sons of Todman were standing at stud in Australia and New Zealand.

A life-sized statue of Todman has been erected at Rosehill Gardens (home of the Golden Slipper), surrounded by a series of plaques for each of the winners of the great race.

References

{{Reflist}}