John Tapp has a nice type in I'm Tondelayo
Media personality and respected horseman John Tapp is a movie tragic and when a neat filly arrived at his stables earlier this year he knew he had the perfect “Hollywood” name for the daughter of Northern Luck. Since then Im Tondelayo has raced on two occasions for two impressive victories and Tapp is hoping for bigger things from the three year old.
“Tondelayo was a character played by attractive actress Hedy Lamarr in White Cargo, a movie that was released back in 1942 and in that era Hedy was thought of as one of the world’s most beautiful women,” Tapp said.
“In the movie, Hedy played a native girl and delighted in introducing herself to several male players by uttering the line ‘I am Tondelayo’, the cliché became legendary and was freely used by women addressing their husbands and partners.”
Im Tondelayo is raced by Tapp’s wife Ann and Mary Cassar, the wife of long term stable client Joe Cassar, and it is no surprise that the ladies are delighted by their acquisition.
“The filly was sent down to me from Karen Skimmings, formerly Karen Glendenning, who had broken her in and had given her a light preparation or two.”
“Karen wanted to retain an interest so she leased two thirds to Ann and Mary and they are having a great time, especially after she has begun her career in such a fashion.”
After winning the Pink Diamond at Penrith last Thursday night, Im Tondelayo has been sent to the paddock and will now be aimed at the Raith Memorial and the heats of the New South Wales Oaks.
“She won’t be able to have a lot of time off if she is to go in those feature races, three weeks will be all the time I can give her.”
“I trained Yokas, she competed in five Oaks, finishing second in the Queensland Oaks and I won the Victoria Oaks with Charlotte Brew but I think this filly on potential compares favourably with them but has a long way to go yet.”
