Tap On Wood

Tap On Wood
Sire	Sallust
Grandsire	Pall Mall
Dam	Cat O' Mountaine
Damsire	Ragusa
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	15 February 1976^[1]
Country	Ireland
Colour	Chestnut
Breeder	Irish National Stud
Owner	Anthony Shead
Trainer	Barry Hills
Record	18: 10-2-1
Major wins
National Stakes (1978) Thirsk Classic Trial (1979) 2000 Guineas (1979) Kiveton Park Stakes (1979)
Awards
Timeform rating: 113 (1978), 130 (1979)

Tap On Wood (15 February 1976 – 25 December 1999) was an Irish-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for winning the classic 2000 Guineas in 1979. As a two-year-old in 1978 he won seven of his thirteen races including the National Stakes. In the following spring he defeated the outstanding miler Kris to record an upset victory in the Guineas. His later career was disrupted by illness and he appeared in only two more races, finishing unplaced in the Derby and winning the Kiveton Park Stakes. He subsequently had some success as a breeding stallion in Europe and Japan.

Background

Tap On Wood was a chestnut horse with no white markings bred by the Irish National Stud. He was from the third crop of foals sired by Sallust an outstanding miler who won the Sussex Stakes and the Prix du Moulin in 1972. Sallust also sired the filly Sanedtki, whose wins included the Prix de la Foret, Prix du Moulin. Tap On Wood's dam, Cat o' Mountaine was a half-sister of the Dewhurst Stakes winner Bounteous and a great granddaughter of the broodmare Bayora, whose other descendants included the 1000 Guineas winner Rose Royale.^[2]

As a yearling, Tap On Wood was sent to the sales and was bought for 12,500 guineas.^[3] During his racing career he was owned by Tony Shead and trained by Barry Hills at Lambourn in Berkshire.

Racing career

1978: two-year-old season

Tap On Wood had an unusually active two-year-old season for a top-class European racehorse: by September he had already run ten times and won six races at distances from five to seven furlongs. He was ridden in most of his races that year by the British jockey Ernie Johnson. He won the Donnington Castle Stakes at Newbury Racecourse but his other successes came against moderate opposition. On his tenth start he was beaten when attempting to concede nine pounds by Warmington in the Heronslea Stakes at Ayr Racecourse. On his next appearance the colt was sent to Ireland to contest the Group Two National Stakes over seven furlongs at the Curragh. Tap On Wood took the lead approaching the final furlong and held off the challenge of Dickens Hill to win by a head with Sandy Creek (subsequent winner of the William Hill Futurity) in third place. His win was only confirmed after the racecourse stewards overruled an objection by the rider of the runner-up who claimed that Tap On Wood had caused interference by hanging to the right in the closing stages. Tap On Wood was sent to France and moved up to Group One Class for the Grand Criterium at Longchamp Racecourse on 8 October. He started a 21/1 outsider and finished sixth of the twelve runners, six lengths behind the winner Irish River. On his final appearance of the year he was well-beaten when finishing sixth behind Kris in the Horris Hill Stakes at Newbury.^[3]

1979: three-year-old season

Tap On Wood began his second season in April at Salisbury Racecourse where he finished a well-beaten fourth behind Lake City in the 2000 Guineas Trial. Two weeks later, the colt was sent to Yorkshire to contest the Timeform Racecard Stakes over one mile at Thirsk Racecourse and won by half a length from the filly Abbeydale. The form of his win was boosted when Abbeydale finished second to One In A Million in the 1000 Guineas. On 5 May, Tap On Wood started a 20/1 outsider in a field of 20 runners for the 171st running of the 2000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile course at Newmarket Racecourse.^[4] The favourite for the race was Kris, who had won the Greenham Stakes on his seasonal debut, while Lyphard's Wish, who had defeated the previous year's champion two-year-old Tromos in the Craven Stakes was also strongly fancied. Ridden by the American jockey Steve Cauthen, Tap On Wood raced towards the back of the field before moving up to contest the lead with three furlongs left to run. In the closing stages three colts drew clear of the field, with Tap On Wood challenged by Kris on the rails to his right and Young Generation on his left. In what Timeform described as "a memorable finish" Tap On Wood prevailed by half a length from Kris, with Young Generation a short head away in third place, giving Cauthen his first win in a British classic race.^[5] Cauthen would go on to win a total of ten British classic races in his career.^[6]^[7]

On 6 June, Tap On Wood was moved up in distance to contest the 200th Derby Stakes over one and a half miles at Epsom Downs Racecourse. He was never in serious contention and finished twelfth of the twenty-three runners behind Troy. Cauthen reported that the colt was never going well at any stage of the race. Shortly after the Derby, Tap On Wood was found to be suffering from a viral infection and was off the course for the next three months. During this period the form of his 2000 Guineas win was boosted: Kris won the St. James's Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes and Celebration Mile while Young Generation who had defeated older horses the Lockinge Stakes in May, traveled to France to take the Prix Jean Prat.^[5]

Tap On Wood returned in the Kiveton Park Stakes at Doncaster Racecourse in September for which he was required to carry a ten-pound weight penalty for his classic win. Starting at odds of 11/4^[8] he looked impressive before the race and won convincingly by a length and one and a half lengths from R B Chesne and Alert. Tap On Wood was scheduled to meet Kris for a third time in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot later that month but he suffered a recurrence of the viral infection and did not race again.^[5]

Assessment

In 1978, the independent Timeform organisation described Tap On Wood as "a thoroughly likeable individual" and awarded him a rating of 113, twenty-one pounds below their top-rated two-year-old Tromos. In the Free Handicap, a ranking of the best two-year-olds to race in Britain, the colt was given a weight of 118 pounds, fifteen pounds inferior to Tromos.^[3] In 1979, Tap On Wood was rated 130 by Timeform, five pounds below Kris and seven below the leading three-year-old Troy. He was described in their annual Racehorses of 1979 as having shown "outstanding toughness and generosity and the ability to act on any type of going".^[5] In the International Classification, he was rated the seventh best three-year-old colt in Europe behind Troy, Le Marmot, Irish River, Kris, Bellypha and Dickens Hill.

In their book, A Century of Champions, based on the Timeform rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Tap On Wood an "average" winner of the 2000 Guineas.^[9]

Stud record

At the end of his three-year-old season, Tap On Wood was syndicated at a value of £1 million and retired to stand as a breeding stallion at the Kildangan Stud in County Kildare.^[5] He was later exported to stand in Japan. The best of his offspring was Kyoei Tap, a filly who won the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup in 1990.^[10] Other good winners included Nisnas (Great Voltigeur Stakes), Royal Touch (Grosser Preis von Dusseldorf), From The Wood (Concorde Stakes), Ozopulmin (Criterium Nazionale), Miss Boniface (Ribblesdale Stakes), Mahogany (Fred Darling Stakes), Sedulous (Killavullan Stakes), Ibadiyya (Prix Chloe), Rappa Tap Tap (Blue Seal Stakes) and Knock Knock (18 wins including the Chesterfield Cup).^[11] His last foals were born in 1999. He was reported to have died on 25 December 1999 by the Japanese Stud Book.^[12]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Tap On Wood (IRE), chestnut stallion, 1976^[1]
Sire Sallust (GB) 1969	Pall Mall (IRE) 1955	Palestine	Fair Trial
		Palestine	Una
		Malapert	Portlaw
		Malapert	Malatesta
	Bandarilla (GB) 1960	Matador	Golden Cloud
		Matador	Spanish Galantry
		Interval	Jamaica Inn
		Interval	Second Act
Dam Cat O'Mountaine (GB) 1967	Ragusa (IRE) 1960	Ribot	Tenerani
		Ribot	Romanella
		Fantan	Ambiorix
		Fantan	Red Eye
	Marie Elizabeth (IRE) 1948	Mazarin	Mieuxce
		Mazarin	Boiarinia
		Miss Honor	Mr Jinks
		Miss Honor	Bayora (Family: 14-f)^[2]

References

1 2 "Tap On Wood pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-12-22.
1 2 "Thoroughbred Bloodlines - Honoria - Family 14-f". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2013-12-22.
1 2 3 Timeform staff (1979). Racehorses of 1978. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-27-8.
↑ Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1990). Horse Racing: Records, Facts, Champions (Third Edition). Guinness Publishing. ISBN 0-85112-902-1.
1 2 3 4 5 Timeform staff (1980). Racehorses of 1979. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-29-4.
↑ "Cauthen the American beauty; Value Scope A Legend on THE LEGENDS Week 2: STEVE CAUTHEN.". The Mirror (London, England), via thefreelibrary.com. May 17, 2008. Retrieved 2013-12-26.
↑ "British racing is whipping itself to death, says Steve Cauthen". Mirror.co.uk. 2011-10-30. Retrieved 2013-12-26.
↑ Abelson, Edward; Tyrrel, John (1993). The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books Publishing. ISBN 978-1-873626-15-3.
↑ Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1999). A Century of Champions. Portway Press,. ISBN 978-1-901570-15-1.
↑ "Kyoei Tap". www.jbis.or.jp. Retrieved 2013-12-24.
↑ "Tap On Wood Stud Record". Bloodstock.racingpost.com. 2012-02-15. Retrieved 2013-12-24.
↑ Staff. "Tap on Wood (IRE)". Japan Race Horse Registry. Retrieved 27 December 2013.

2000 Guineas winners

1809 Wizard 1810 Hephestion 1811 Trophonius 1812 Cwrw 1813 Smolensko 1814 Olive 1815 Tigris 1816 Nectar 1817 Manfred 1818 Interpreter 1819 Antar 1820 Pindarrie 1821 Reginald 1822 Pastille ♥ 1823 Nicolo 1824 Schahriar 1825 Enamel 1826 Dervise 1827 Turcoman 1828 Cadland 1829 Patron 1830 Augustus 1831 Riddlesworth 1832 Archibald 1833 Clearwell 1834 Glencoe 1835 Ibrahim 1836 Bay Middleton 1837 Achmet 1838 Grey Momus 1839 The Corsair 1840 Crucifix ♥ 1841 Ralph 1842 Meteor 1843 Cotherstone 1844 The Ugly Buck 1845 Idas 1846 Sir Tatton Sykes 1847 Conyngham 1848 Flatcatcher 1849 Nunnykirk 1850 Pitsford 1851 Hernandez 1852 Stockwell 1853 West Australian ₩ 1854 The Hermit 1855 Lord of the Isles 1856 Fazzoletto 1857 Vedette 1858 Fitz-Roland 1859 The Promised Land 1860 The Wizard 1861 Diophantus 1862 The Marquis 1863 Macaroni 1864 General Peel 1865 Gladiateur ₩ 1866 Lord Lyon ₩ 1867 Vauban 1868 Formosa ♥ Moslem 1869 Pretender 1870 Macgregor 1871 Bothwell 1872 Prince Charlie 1873 Gang Forward 1874 Atlantic 1875 Camballo 1876 Petrarch 1877 Chamant 1878 Pilgrimage ♥ 1879 Charibert 1880 Petronel 1881 Peregrine 1882 Shotover ♥ 1883 Galliard 1884 Scot Free 1885 Paradox 1886 Ormonde ₩ 1887 Enterprise 1888 Ayrshire 1889 Enthusiast 1890 Surefoot 1891 Common ₩ 1892 Bona Vista 1893 Isinglass ₩ 1894 Ladas 1895 Kirkconnel 1896 St. Frusquin 1897 Galtee More ₩ 1898 Disraeli 1899 Flying Fox ₩ 1900 Diamond Jubilee ₩ 1901 Handicapper 1902 Sceptre 1903 Rock Sand ₩ 1904 St. Amant 1905 Vedas 1906 Gorgos 1907 Slieve Gallion 1908 Norman 1909 Minoru 1910 Neil Gow 1911 Sunstar 1912 Sweeper 1913 Louvois 1914 Kennymore 1915 Pommern ₩ 1916 Clarissimus 1917 Gay Crusader ₩ 1918 Gainsborough ₩ 1919 The Panther 1920 Tetratema 1921 Craig an Eran 1922 St Louis 1923 Ellangowan 1924 Diophon 1925 Manna 1926 Colorado 1927 Adam's Apple 1928 Flamingo 1929 Mr Jinks 1930 Diolite 1931 Cameronian 1932 Orwell 1933 Rodosto 1934 Colombo 1935 Bahram ₩ 1936 Pay Up 1937 Le Ksar 1938 Pasch 1939 Blue Peter 1940 Djebel 1941 Lambert Simnel 1942 Big Game 1943 Kingsway 1944 Garden Path ♥ 1945 Court Martial 1946 Happy Knight 1947 Tudor Minstrel 1948 My Babu 1949 Nimbus 1950 Palestine 1951 Ki Ming 1952 Thunderhead 1953 Nearula 1954 Darius 1955 Our Babu 1956 Gilles de Retz 1957 Crepello 1958 Pall Mall 1959 Taboun 1960 Martial 1961 Rockavon 1962 Privy Councillor 1963 Only for Life 1964 Baldric 1965 Niksar 1966 Kashmir 1967 Royal Palace 1968 Sir Ivor 1969 Right Tack 1970 Nijinsky ₩ 1971 Brigadier Gerard 1972 High Top 1973 Mon Fils 1974 Nonoalco 1975 Bolkonski 1976 Wollow 1977 Nebbiolo 1978 Roland Gardens 1979 Tap On Wood 1980 Known Fact 1981 To-Agori-Mou 1982 Zino 1983 Lomond 1984 El Gran Senor 1985 Shadeed 1986 Dancing Brave 1987 Don't Forget Me 1988 Doyoun 1989 Nashwan 1990 Tirol 1991 Mystiko 1992 Rodrigo de Triano 1993 Zafonic 1994 Mister Baileys 1995 Pennekamp 1996 Mark of Esteem 1997 Entrepreneur 1998 King of Kings 1999 Island Sands 2000 King's Best 2001 Golan 2002 Rock of Gibraltar 2003 Refuse to Bend 2004 Haafhd 2005 Footstepsinthesand 2006 George Washington 2007 Cockney Rebel 2008 Henrythenavigator 2009 Sea the Stars 2010 Makfi 2011 Frankel 2012 Camelot 2013 Dawn Approach 2014 Night of Thunder 2015 Gleneagles

Legend - ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = Filly

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