AS THE Cleaner heads home for a well-deserved spell, it will be left to Beautide to carry the Tasmanian flag in major interstate races.
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But, with harness racing largely ignored by the mainstream media, there’s no chance he will carry the same hype as the ‘‘Longford Lion’’.
An injustice really, given that Beautide’s achievements in his own field are the best of any Tasmanian horse, of either breed, since Sydeston roamed the national thoroughbred stage almost 25 years ago.
With 42 wins from 68 starts, $1.4million in stakes and a Miracle Mile and Inter-Dominion final already on his resume, he has every right to share The Cleaner’s ‘‘cult hero’’ status.
He has earned his own nickname, ‘‘The Tassie Terminator’’, but you will only see it in the racing pages or hear it on Sky Channel.
There’s no chance Beautide will make the 6 o’clock news, get a police escort when he leaves for the track or be greeted by flag-waving schoolchildren when, one day, he returns home to live out his retirement in a paddock at Longford, somewhere near The Cleaner.
In the meantime, Beautide can only keep doing what he does best – winning races.
And, his connections can be content in the knowledge that you can’t eat publicity but you can keep banking stake cheques.
Another big one, for $450,000, will be coming their way if can win his second successive Miracle Mile at Menangle on Saturday night and he’s now an odds-on favourite after drawing barrier 3.