As part of the celebration of the 50th year of the Golden Slipper, Sydney Turf Club, is taking the Golden Slipper Trophy on a national tour and will head south this week to a special tribute lunch for Roy Higgins, jockey of the 1973 Slipper winner, Tontonan.
Tontonan defeated the odds on Slipper favourite Imagele who was unbeaten in six starts. One of the more dramatic moments in Slipper history, Imagele clipped the heels of another horse and fell bringing down two other contenders Iago and Baron Bold. Imagele suffered cracked ribs while his jockey Kevin Langby lay unconscious. Baron Bold’s jockey, Chris Gwilliam, suffered concussion while Iago’s jockey, Ron Quinton, was miraculously unhurt.
The Bart Cummings trained Tontonan then went on to win the AJC Sires Produce Stakes. As a three year old he won the VATC Oakleigh Plate, AJC Doncaster Handicap and All-Aged Stakes. Like the original Slipper winner, Todman, Tontonan suffered leg problems that ended his racing career. Tontonan then went on to become a police horse in Victoria.
Tontonan was Roy Higgins’ second Golden Slipper champion, after Storm Queen, also trained by Cummings, won in 1966. Roy didn’t ride another Slipper winner after Tontonan but he came to be acknowledged as one of Australia’s all time great jockeys.
To celebrate this remarkable horse’s victory Sydney Turf Club is bringing the original 1957 Todman trophy along with the 2006 AAMI Golden Slipper Trophy to Flemington Racecourse both Friday March 10 & Saturday March 11 (details below).
Friday March 10 2006 Hosted by Bryan Martin | Saturday March 11 2006 11.45am – On display in the Parade Ring |
STC Media Release Published 09/03/06