They will line up to go the Tonk

Caption: Correy Grenfell with the great Tiggerlong Tonk, who has a promising stud career ahead.

By DAVID BRASCH

CORREY Grenfell scratched his head and lamented the task he had assigned his great race dog Tiggerlong Tonk.

Correy stood behind the boxes and watched as Aston Rupee stretched away from Tonk to win the Group 3 Sandown Shootout. It had been the same just a week before when the pair clashed in the Group 1 Topgun … for the same result.

Correy made a point of congratulating Rupee\’s trainer Glenn Rounds as he knew it needed a super dog to run away from Tonk like that.

A day later he knew why Tonk had no kick from the turn home, a kick he\’d used to perfection in so many Group race finals before.

\”He\’d nicked a tendon near the stopper,\” Correy said. \”It ended his career. There was no coming back.\”

What is absolutely amazing about Tiggerlong Tonk is that the injury is the only one he has ever had in a 94-start career that saw him win 42 times, be placed 35 times, and earn $766,000.

\”It was his first ever injury, but he\’s so tough he did not even limp on it.\”

That’s what broodbitch owners love to hear. Not for Tonk the protected race career and off to stud untested by the greats. Tonk is the epitome of what we all strive for, the toughest of race dogs, with a fabulous pedigree and the nature of a lamb.

Tonk won the G1 Perth Cup and Harrison Dawson, the G2 Horsham Cup, G3 Easter Gift and downed Shima Shine, Christo Bale and Hard Style Rico in the G3 Shootout.

He ran second in a Topgun, Hobart 1000, Healesville Cup, Shepparton Cup, Bendigo Cup, Shootout and Speed Star.

He ran third in the Temlee, Harrison Dawson, Silver Chief, Maturity and Geelong Cup.

He was a finalist in the Melbourne Cup, Australian Cup, Topgun and Healesville Cup.

High-class race dogs retire to stud after competing in just one of those.

Wagga breeder Michael Finn should rightly be proud of what he bred.

The pedigree Finn put together to produce his superstar is based on a G1 proven Hallucinate/Pure Octane cross.

Tonk\’s dam, Tiggerlong Dot, was a finalist in the Dapto Oaks and a Wenty winner. Her litter brother Tiggerlong Cruz was a finalist at G2 level in the Ballarat and Bendigo Cups, half-brother Tiggerlong Await was second in the G1 Perth Cup and the G1 Harrison Dawson, while another half-brother, Tiggerlong Amigo, won the G2 WA Derby and had multiple Group placings.

Tonk\’s pedigree lends itself to mating even to daughters of Barcia Bale, bitches with Where\’s Pedro, any by Fernando Bale, bitches from the famed Spanish Dance family and those by Fabregas.

Bitches by Zulu Zeus and Buck Fever, to reinforce the Ready To Rain family, suit him.

The Spring Gun/Bombastic influence in Tonk will suit daughters of Aston Dee Bee.

Tonk is crying out for bitches with an up-close cross of Brett Lee which can be picked up via Oaks Road, Cosmic Rumble, Lochinvar Marlow etc.

Cosmic Rumble, in particular, has done exceptionally well when linked too.

Collision, too, will suit a link with Tonk, as will daughters of Zambora Brockie, Magic Sprite and Kinloch Brae especially.

Tonk and Fernando Bale are the only dogs to have five times won under 29.17 around Sandown. Tonk\’s career best of 29.03 is sensational.

Stud career? Yes, Tonk is waiting.

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