TODMAN LAME

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28262, 27 April 1957, Page 12

TODMAN LAME

"Nobbling” Reports Ridiculed (N.Z. Press Association Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) SYDNEY, April 26. The Sydney trainer, Maurice McCarten, ridiculed reports today that Australia’s top two-year-old, Todman, had been nobbled. “There is no chance of that happening,” MeCarten said. "The stables are “under a 24-hour-a-day guard.’’ Neither McCarten nor'the jockey, Neville Sellwood, could give any explanation today for the lameness which has threatened the brilliant

colt’s racing career. McCarten said: “We are not yet sure whether Todman has injured the leg itself, or has ricked or pulled an abdominal muscle.”

Sellwood said the colt had. never galloped as smoothly as he did in winning the Champagne Stakes yesterday. Todman was favouring the off hind leg in his stall today and appeared to be in great pain when resting on it. Todman has won five of his six starts and has earned about £12,700 in stakes.

Carrying 9-6, he won the six furlongs Champagne Stakes in Imin lOsec—a fraction outside the Australian record held by Spearby and Maniana. His time equalled the fastest six furlongs ever run by an Australian two-year-old.

Last Saturday Todman gave Randwick betters their biggest shock for many years when he was beaten in the Sires’ Produce Stakes by the New Zealand-bred colt, Tulloch. Todman started at 6/1 on.