Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Twenty-year-old Kyle Symington was the toast of the town at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he became one of the youngest drivers in Australian harness racing history to land a Group 1 winner.
He formulated a plan to set the pace with Miss Limelight to make life difficult for star mares Eighteen Carat and The Amber Hare in the $150,000 Westral Mares Classic — and he followed his tactics perfectly as he guided the Ryan Bell-trained five-year-old to a superb all-the-way victory over a gallant Eighteen Carat, American Arma and The Amber Hare.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet, but I’m full of excitement at the moment,” said the level-headed Symington, who took a most unexpected path to become involved in harness racing.
“We lived in Frankland River, and I competed in eventing competitions and State championships for about six years, mainly riding a retired pacing mare Too Busy Talking,” he said. “And it was just by chance that I became interested in pacing — when I got a job helping out at Justin Prentice’s stables on the weekends, just to get a bit of pocket money.
“Once I started working horses there, I fell in love with the sport. Initially, Mum and Dad were a bit sceptical about the industry. I was at school at the Harvey Agricultural College, trying to get into the agri. business. But the course I wanted wasn’t at the Uni I wanted to attend, so there was a change of plans.
“I had started at university before I began driving, and now I’m studying part-time for a Bachelor of Business degree, majoring in accounting, at Murdock University.”
While Symington has diverse interests, his twin brother Jake has taken a different course. “He’s into footy and is scared of horses,” he said. Jake is looking forward to breaking into league ranks next year after showing good form in 15 appearances in East Perth’s reserves side this year.
Kyle Symington’s first metropolitan winner was, fittingly, with Miss Limelight at Gloucester Park last May. He now has driven in 946 races for 103 winners, and horses he has handled in those events have earned a total of $1,079,705 in prizemoney.
“The plan tonight was to lead (from barrier one) and try to make every post a winner,” he explained. “We were happy to get away with a moderate opening quarter (31.3sec.) over the longer trip (2536m).”
Miss Limelight, the $4 second fancy, sprinted strongly over the final 400m sections in 27.6sec. and 28.6sec. and won by a half-length from Eighteen Carat ($4.80), rating 1.58.3. American Arma ($15), who raced three back on the pegs, finished strongly to be third, with the $3 favourite The Amber Hare sustaining a spirited burst from ninth at the bell to be fourth.
Bell said that he wasn’t expecting Miss Limelight to get things so easy, particularly in the early stages, but added: “I think she would’ve still run a very good race whatever the circumstances. She loves a dog fight and loves to roll along.
“Kyle had his plan, and I didn’t tell him much except that the one thing I wanted him to do was to make sure they didn’t get on top of him (by rating up and not letting a horse get past her wheel). Miss Limelight is so honest, and this was only the second time for me that she has been able to paint the rail.
“I think the others underestimated her a bit. She can zip some fast quarters, and she zipped three of them tonight. She is just hitting form and will be set for the Christmas Belles (a $50,000 Group 3 2130m event for fillies and mares on December 23).
“Kyle deserved that win; he works hard and our results we have had this year would not have been achieved without him.”
Miss Limelight is owned by Albert and Julie Walmsley and was their second choice when they purchased her as a yearling in New Zealand. Their first choice was Sweet Maddison, who won at six of her first ten starts as a two and three-year-old in WA and has a record of 37 starts for nine wins, four placings and $71,676.
Miss Limelight has exceeded expectations, and she has earned $233,980 from 15 wins and 12 placings from 52 starts. She is by champion sire Bettors Delight and is the ninth foal out of the unraced Falcons Future mare Its Showtime. Her full-brother Elios has raced 28 times for ten wins, eight placings and $220,176.