Husband-wife team chasing Australian Derby fairytale with Tapildoodledo

Tapildoodledo will back up in the Group 1 Australian Derby on Saturday after winning the Tulloch Stakes at Rosehill. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Ian Taplin used to run a dairy farm for a living, now the Kiwi is looking to milk one of Australia's premier races on Saturday after causing a boilover with the little known Tapildoodledo.

Taplin, who races horses with his wife Kerry, made the move to the Sunshine Coast last year after falling in love with it during a family road trip – now they are looking for their biggest payday in the sport.

Ian Taplin purchased his first heard of cows 30 years ago, but recently sold up the family's 1000-acre dairy farm to clear the decks for the move to Queensland.

"Eight years ago we came over for a holiday in the campervan with the kids, we enjoyed it so much we did it every year after that – any time we got to the Sunshine Coast we fell in love with the joint so we thought ‘why not live there?'" Taplin said.

"We breed predominantly what we race, I had the grandmother of Tapildoodledo (Tapildo), I won the New Zealand Oaks with her 22 years ago, it was Sheila Laxton who trained it for me, now she is in the barn next to us at the Sunshine Coast.

Kerry Taplin with Tapildoodledo at Rosehill last Saturday. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

"We train between eight to 10 horses at any time, there are nine broodmares we try to get foals out of.

"I have been a dairy farmer forever … I grew up on a dairy farm which my mum and dad had.

"I went to Australia when I was 15 shearing sheep, I did that three or four times and ended up dairy farming.

"I bought my first heard of cows in 82' or 83', I did that right up until I sold it all last season."

While Ian and Kerry trained in partnership in New Zealand, a rule in Queensland prevents it, as at least 20 horses need to be registered in training to form a partnership.

The little known Tapildoodledo's win in the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) on Saturday came as a surprise to many punters, but not Taplin, who said the gelding had been racing well without luck prior to his breakthrough win.

Reece Jones riding Tapildoodledo to victory in the Tulloch Stakes. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Taplin confirmed they planned on backing up this Saturday in the $2m Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m).

"It was a hell of a thrill, it was the first time we had ever been to Randwick, for him to do what he did in the Tulloch Stakes, it was a bit of a wow moment," he said.

"He was the kind of horse leading up to that, if there was trouble in the run he would have found it, so in my opinion he had great form going into the race – that's why we made the decision to come down.

"We're still here in Sydney, we will run around on Saturday and then go back home to the Sunny Coast. The horse came out of the race really well."

While Saturday's $142,000 winners cheque was enough for Taplin, he said the $1.15m on offer to win the Australian Derby would be "enough to last a lifetime" if they were to win.