Taplin hopes to end Cup drought for local trainers

By Glenn Davis

Owner Ian Taplin believes Tapildoodledo can bounce back from an “average” Toowoomba Cup performance to end a long running drought for local trainers in the Listed Queensland Cup at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Tapildoodledo was beaten less than four lengths on a heavy track when eighth behind Red Wave in the Toowoomba Cup last month.

Taplin described the performance as only average but has been buoyed by the five-year-old’s subsequent track gallops.

Tapildoodledo – a Nikita Beriman mount - is trained by Taplin’s wife Kerry who has 20 horses in work, mostly two-year-old's in her Caloundra stables.

“He got too far back in the Toowoomba Cup and it was only an average run,” owner Ian Taplin said.

“It was the same story when we took him to Sydney at his previous start for the Tatts Cup when he ran sixth.

“He’s been in work for a long time but he’ll run a big race as his work since the Toowoomba Cup has been excellent.”

Ian Taplin is not concerned Tapildoodledo has been in work for over a year.

“He’s a very happy boy as we put him in the paddock for two or three days after each run,” Ian Taplin said.

“He virtually has a freshen up after every run and he thrives on it.”

The Taplins have been based at the Sunshine Coast for two years since arriving from New Zealand.

Ian Taplin’s biggest win as an owner was with Tapildoodledo’s grand-dam Tapildo who won the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks in 2001.

As a trainer his best win was with Ritani in a Group 3 Winter Cup over 1600 metres at Riccarton in 2021.

Ian Taplin believes Tapildoodledo is going as good as when he was sent to Sydney last year when he claimed the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes at Randwick before running in the Group 1 Australian Derby.

The Queensland Cup has attracted a field of 13 with only two interstate raiders, the Chris Waller-trained Kirkeby and French import Mormona from the Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald stable in Sydney.

Since 2000, only a small number of locally-trained horses have won the Queensland Cup which was once run over 3200 metres.