Latest news with #TuffTuMus
Mercury
7 days ago
- Sport
- Mercury
Anxious galloper Tuff Tu Mus wins seventh city race in row at Eagle Farm
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. It's as rare as hen's teeth that a horse wins seven metropolitan races in a row. And especially one who is as quirky as David Vandyke's gelding Tuff Tu Mus who has battled anxiety to the extent that his trainer often brings him to the races even when he's not racing. It might have been a low-key, off-season city meeting at Eagle Farm but the continued emergence of Tuff Tu Mus threw up a feel-good story. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Tuff Tu Mus means 'bloody tough' in Bislama, the national language of Vanuatu where his owner John Fordham, who hails from small town Croppa Creek near Moree in northern NSW, runs a kava factory. The five-year-old gelding is not only as tough as his name suggests, but also has more than his fair share of enigmatic ability. Starting at $1.70 in a BM90 Handicap as he stretched out over 1815m for the first time, jockey Ryan Maloney sent Tuff Tu Mus to the lead in the Eagle Farm straight and he did enough to hold on. He didn't beat any worldbeaters and the manner of his win wasn't dynamic – but he clocked up his latest triumph in a seven-race winning streak which dates back to October last year. Tuff Tu Mus has now won seven from nine but Vandyke revealed the quirky galloper had been to the races much more than the race book indicates. He often travels to the races on race day but stays in the stalls, just to help get him more used to the process and ease his highly-strung nature. 'He has got that underlying anxiety in him,' Vandyke said. 'He has had nine starts, but he has probably been to the races 25 times. 'He was here last Saturday even though he didn't race, we bring him all the time. 'My staff have absolutely cuddled him and looked after him, it's been a real team effort.' Trainer David Vandyke. Picture: Grant Peters, Trackside Photography. Vandyke said he had never had a horse wins seven consecutive city races before, although he had his now retired galloper Weona Smartone win eight in a row. 'Alligator Blood got beaten in the Caulfield Guineas (in 2019) but he won five consecutive races before that, and five after it,' Vandyke said. 'It takes a decent horse to put together a good winning streak. 'Tuff Tu Mus will go for a deserved spell now, but I think he has a nice future. 'There is an 1800m race on Gold Coast Magic Millions day which could be nice for him, which is why I wanted to test him over that distance today.' Champion trainer Tony Gollan finished the day with a bang when ex-Godolphin galloper Pereille saluted at short odds when being one of the best placed horses in Australia, scoring the Class Six Plate (1200m). Meanwhile, Ben Thompson rode his first winner since returning from Hong Kong when Rex Lipp-trained Redzoust ($17) got the chocolates in the BM70 Handicap (1400m). Originally published as Anxious galloper Tuff Tu Mus wins seventh city race in row at Eagle Farm
Courier-Mail
02-08-2025
- Sport
- Courier-Mail
Anxious galloper Tuff Tu Mus wins seventh city race in row at Eagle Farm
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. It's as rare as hen's teeth that a horse wins seven metropolitan races in a row. And especially one who is as quirky as David Vandyke's gelding Tuff Tu Mus who has battled anxiety to the extent that his trainer often brings him to the races even when he's not racing. It might have been a low-key, off-season city meeting at Eagle Farm but the continued emergence of Tuff Tu Mus threw up a feel-good story. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Tuff Tu Mus means 'bloody tough' in Bislama, the national language of Vanuatu where his owner John Fordham, who hails from small town Croppa Creek near Moree in northern NSW, runs a kava factory. The five-year-old gelding is not only as tough as his name suggests, but also has more than his fair share of enigmatic ability. Starting at $1.70 in a BM90 Handicap as he stretched out over 1815m for the first time, jockey Ryan Maloney sent Tuff Tu Mus to the lead in the Eagle Farm straight and he did enough to hold on. He didn't beat any worldbeaters and the manner of his win wasn't dynamic – but he clocked up his latest triumph in a seven-race winning streak which dates back to October last year. Tuff Tu Mus has now won seven from nine but Vandyke revealed the quirky galloper had been to the races much more than the race book indicates. He often travels to the races on race day but stays in the stalls, just to help get him more used to the process and ease his highly-strung nature. 'He has got that underlying anxiety in him,' Vandyke said. 'He has had nine starts, but he has probably been to the races 25 times. 'He was here last Saturday even though he didn't race, we bring him all the time. 'My staff have absolutely cuddled him and looked after him, it's been a real team effort.' Trainer David Vandyke. Picture: Grant Peters, Trackside Photography. Vandyke said he had never had a horse wins seven consecutive city races before, although he had his now retired galloper Weona Smartone win eight in a row. 'Alligator Blood got beaten in the Caulfield Guineas (in 2019) but he won five consecutive races before that, and five after it,' Vandyke said. 'It takes a decent horse to put together a good winning streak. 'Tuff Tu Mus will go for a deserved spell now, but I think he has a nice future. 'There is an 1800m race on Gold Coast Magic Millions day which could be nice for him, which is why I wanted to test him over that distance today.' Champion trainer Tony Gollan finished the day with a bang when ex-Godolphin galloper Pereille saluted at short odds when being one of the best placed horses in Australia, scoring the Class Six Plate (1200m). Meanwhile, Ben Thompson rode his first winner since returning from Hong Kong when Rex Lipp-trained Redzoust ($17) got the chocolates in the BM70 Handicap (1400m). Originally published as Anxious galloper Tuff Tu Mus wins seventh city race in row at Eagle Farm
Daily Telegraph
02-08-2025
- Sport
- Daily Telegraph
Anxious galloper Tuff Tu Mus wins seventh city race in row at Eagle Farm
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. It's as rare as hen's teeth that a horse wins seven metropolitan races in a row. And especially one who is as quirky as David Vandyke's gelding Tuff Tu Mus who has battled anxiety to the extent that his trainer often brings him to the races even when he's not racing. It might have been a low-key, off-season city meeting at Eagle Farm but the continued emergence of Tuff Tu Mus threw up a feel-good story. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Tuff Tu Mus means 'bloody tough' in Bislama, the national language of Vanuatu where his owner John Fordham, who hails from small town Croppa Creek near Moree in northern NSW, runs a kava factory. The five-year-old gelding is not only as tough as his name suggests, but also has more than his fair share of enigmatic ability. Starting at $1.70 in a BM90 Handicap as he stretched out over 1815m for the first time, jockey Ryan Maloney sent Tuff Tu Mus to the lead in the Eagle Farm straight and he did enough to hold on. He didn't beat any worldbeaters and the manner of his win wasn't dynamic – but he clocked up his latest triumph in a seven-race winning streak which dates back to October last year. Tuff Tu Mus has now won seven from nine but Vandyke revealed the quirky galloper had been to the races much more than the race book indicates. He often travels to the races on race day but stays in the stalls, just to help get him more used to the process and ease his highly-strung nature. 'He has got that underlying anxiety in him,' Vandyke said. 'He has had nine starts, but he has probably been to the races 25 times. 'He was here last Saturday even though he didn't race, we bring him all the time. 'My staff have absolutely cuddled him and looked after him, it's been a real team effort.' Trainer David Vandyke. Picture: Grant Peters, Trackside Photography. Vandyke said he had never had a horse wins seven consecutive city races before, although he had his now retired galloper Weona Smartone win eight in a row. 'Alligator Blood got beaten in the Caulfield Guineas (in 2019) but he won five consecutive races before that, and five after it,' Vandyke said. 'It takes a decent horse to put together a good winning streak. 'Tuff Tu Mus will go for a deserved spell now, but I think he has a nice future. 'There is an 1800m race on Gold Coast Magic Millions day which could be nice for him, which is why I wanted to test him over that distance today.' Champion trainer Tony Gollan finished the day with a bang when ex-Godolphin galloper Pereille saluted at short odds when being one of the best placed horses in Australia, scoring the Class Six Plate (1200m). Meanwhile, Ben Thompson rode his first winner since returning from Hong Kong when Rex Lipp-trained Redzoust ($17) got the chocolates in the BM70 Handicap (1400m). Originally published as Anxious galloper Tuff Tu Mus wins seventh city race in row at Eagle Farm
News.com.au
02-08-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Anxious galloper Tuff Tu Mus wins seventh city race in row at Eagle Farm
It's as rare as hen's teeth that a horse wins seven metropolitan races in a row. And especially one who is as quirky as David Vandyke 's gelding Tuff Tu Mus who has battled anxiety to the extent that his trainer often brings him to the races even when he's not racing. It might have been a low-key, off-season city meeting at Eagle Farm but the continued emergence of Tuff Tu Mus threw up a feel-good story. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Tuff Tu Mus means 'bloody tough' in Bislama, the national language of Vanuatu where his owner John Fordham, who hails from small town Croppa Creek near Moree in northern NSW, runs a kava factory. The five-year-old gelding is not only as tough as his name suggests, but also has more than his fair share of enigmatic ability. Starting at $1.70 in a BM90 Handicap as he stretched out over 1815m for the first time, jockey Ryan Maloney sent Tuff Tu Mus to the lead in the Eagle Farm straight and he did enough to hold on. Seven in a row for Tuff Tu Mus! What a record he has built for David Vandyke ðŸ'� â€' 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) August 2, 2025 He didn't beat any worldbeaters and the manner of his win wasn't dynamic – but he clocked up his latest triumph in a seven-race winning streak which dates back to October last year. Tuff Tu Mus has now won seven from nine but Vandyke revealed the quirky galloper had been to the races much more than the race book indicates. He often travels to the races on race day but stays in the stalls, just to help get him more used to the process and ease his highly-strung nature. 'He has got that underlying anxiety in him,' Vandyke said. 'He has had nine starts, but he has probably been to the races 25 times. 'He was here last Saturday even though he didn't race, we bring him all the time. 'My staff have absolutely cuddled him and looked after him, it's been a real team effort.' Vandyke said he had never had a horse wins seven consecutive city races before, although he had his now retired galloper Weona Smartone win eight in a row. 'Alligator Blood got beaten in the Caulfield Guineas (in 2019) but he won five consecutive races before that, and five after it,' Vandyke said. 'It takes a decent horse to put together a good winning streak. 'Tuff Tu Mus will go for a deserved spell now, but I think he has a nice future. 'There is an 1800m race on Gold Coast Magic Millions day which could be nice for him, which is why I wanted to test him over that distance today.' Champion trainer Tony Gollan finished the day with a bang when ex-Godolphin galloper Pereille saluted at short odds when being one of the best placed horses in Australia, scoring the Class Six Plate (1200m). Meanwhile, Ben Thompson rode his first winner since returning from Hong Kong when Rex Lipp-trained Redzoust ($17) got the chocolates in the BM70 Handicap (1400m).
News.com.au
25-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Tough gelding Tuff Tu Mus back winning races after struggling with pre-race anxiety
Kava producer John Fordham has survived a terrifying earthquake in Vanuatu, now he hopes his gritty gelding Tuff Tu Mus can send tremors through next year's Queensland winter carnival. Tuff Tu Mus means 'bloody tough' in Bislama, the national language of Vanuatu where his owner Fordham, who hails from small town Croppa Creek near Moree in northern NSW, runs a kava factory. The four-year-old was meant to compete in this year's winter carnival but plans went awry when he started to sweat up before races and became jittery at the track. However, Sunshine Coast trainer David Vandyke changed the diet for Tuff Tu Mus and made some management tweaks which have seemingly solved the anxiety issues for the son of All Too Hard who has won his past five races. Tuff Tu Mus triumphed in his last start at Doomben, where he is unbeaten, in a Benchmark 85 (1350m) earlier this month and will next race at the same track in a Class 6 over 1600m on July 12. 'We didn't run him in any big races this winter because of his behaviour before and after the races,' said Fordham from Luganville in Vanuatu on Wednesday. 'I'm excited about the next winter carnival and the opportunities for the horse and he will have a season of racing experience behind him. 'This was his first season, so we've learnt a lot about the horse. 'We have three jockeys that have ridden him for his five wins (from seven races) which gives us more choices when weights become an issue.' It is an amazing turnaround considering that veterinarians told Fordham there was a high chance the tenacious horse would never even get to the races after he had cut himself 'to the bone' as a two-year-old. 'There was about a 40 per cent chance (of never racing) so we sent him to the doctors in Gatton and they nursed him for two weeks and got him back,' said Fordham, who bought Tuff Tu Mus for $140,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. 'Six or eight months later we got him ready again and there were no signs of soreness or anything. 'We were getting him ready for Magic Millions and there was another race at Doomben. 'A few days before the race, Dave rings up and says 'the horse has cut his tendon'. We doctored him up again and gave him time until he was a four-year-old. 'Now there are no signs of the cut, no swelling, no soreness. It all seems to have healed itself.' It was a frightening moment for Fordham but nothing compared to the terror of three powerful earthquakes - with magnitudes of 7.8, 7.7 and 7.3 - that hit Vanuatu in October 2009, sparking a tsunami warning and sending thousands of Pacific islanders scurrying for shelter on higher ground. 'She was a rattler,' said Fordham, who owns a kava factory in Luganville, the Pacific nation's second largest city behind capital Port Vila. 'A few of the internal walls in the house cracked and broke. 'You could see the roof lift up. It cut a house just down the road from us in half, one part of the house was two feet below the other. 'It separated the bridge from the river. Railway power lines were bent 90 degrees. 'We have a strong French-built house and I hit the ground and went under the doorway but I couldn't get to my feet. 'I got bounced around and I could hear everything crashing in the house. It went on for what seemed like minutes.'
