While Tulloch Lodge generally maintains its lofty standards, they have experienced a lighter two-year-old season. However, their primary stable rider, Tim Clark, is predicting that the current crop of juveniles will significantly enhance their performance as they turn three.
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have trained 14 juvenile winners from 92 starters throughout the 2025-26 racing term, a contrast to the 20 winners from 119 runners in the 2024-25 season. This follows back-to-back successful seasons, where they celebrated 35 (2023-24) and 37 (2022-23) two-year-old victories respectively.
With The Rosebud (1100m), the first three-year-old stakes race of the new season, just six weeks away, many of this season’s youngsters are already commencing their preparations for their seasonal returns. Clark is optimistic about the future of Tulloch Lodge.
“The Rosebud and San Domenico Stakes, they come up pretty quickly, so those two-year-olds rising three are starting to roll back in,” Clark commented. “There are some nice horses among them.”
When asked to single out a horse that had impressed him since returning, Clark selected the filly By Choice. A winner on her debut at Randwick in December, the daughter of Written Tycoon also secured placings in the Magic Millions Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast and in two Golden Slipper lead-up races.
Clark believes she has furnished well and anticipates her making a considerable impact in the early-season three-year-old races. “I haven’t been on too many of them yet, but By Choice raced through a Magic Millions and lined up in the Slipper lead-ups. Physically, she looks to have really strengthened and come back in good order,” Clark stated. “The Princess Series races might suit her. She gives the impression she will run a strong mile, so she is definitely one that physically looks like she has made good improvement.”
The Princess Series, comprising four races, begins with the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) on August 22 and culminates with the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on October 3. By Choice is a filly to watch as the season progresses.
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