THE death last week of former champion galloper Sydeston closes the book on Tasmanian racing’s greatest success story of the 20th century.
Sydeston was humanely put down only a few hours before his owner-breeder David Yaxley joined him in the Tasmanian Racing Hall of Fame. Technically, Sydeston had turned 30 on August 1, the official birthday of all horses, but his actual birthday would have been on September 8.
Sydeston outlived Mr Yaxley, who died in 2013, his Tasmanian trainer Len Dixon, who died in 2012, and his Victorian trainer Bob Hoysted, who died last year. With 19 career wins and $3.1million in stake earnings, Sydeston was easily the most successful Tasmanian horse of the 1900s. The only Tasmanian horse in history to surpass his deeds was Malua, who raced in the late 1800s. Sydeston won four group1 races – the Caulfield Cup, Caulfield Stakes, BMW International and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He also won four group2 races – the Moonee Valley Cup, Sandown Cup, Liston Stakes and St George Stakes.
He remains the only horse to complete the Caulfield, Moonee Valley and Sandown Cups treble. His best chance to win the Melbourne Cup was in 1989, when, as a still unproven stayer, he carried only 50kilograms and ran sixth to Tawrrific. Hoysted blamed himself for the defeat, stating that he erred in his instructions to his young jockey Steven King. Hoysted told King that the best two-mile rider was New Zealander Grant Cooksley and suggested he follow Cooksley throughout the race.
However, Cooksley allowed his mount The Phantom to settle near the rear of the field and, as instructed, King was behind him. Both The Phantom (fourth) and Sydeston finished strongly but the bird had flown.
By the time the 1990 Melbourne Cup came around, Sydeston had developed into one of the top stayers in the country and was weighted accordingly. He carried topweight of 58.5kg – 1.5kg more than any other runner – and drew barrier 23. Ridden by Mick Dittman, he finished 11th behind Kingston Rule. Despite his many great wins, it was minor placings in two vintage Cox Plates that stamped Sydeston as an exceptional horse. He ran second to Better Loosen Up in 1990 and third to Surfers Paradise and Super Impose in 1991. Dittman blamed himself for the 1990 photo-finish defeat.
‘‘I went before the weights were out – I should have waited a bit longer,’’ he said in a recent television interview.
‘‘He should have won.’’
Hoysted said several times that had Sydeston added a Cox Plate to his resume, he would have gone down as one of Australian racing’s all-time greats. David Yaxley’s induction into the Hall of Fame recognised his overall achievements as an owner, breeder and administrator. He dominated Tasmanian racing during the 1980s and ’90s.
From Greg Mansfield, Examiner