Tasmanian racing has lost a remarkable link with the past with the death of former leading trainer Ted Buckingham in England. Buckingham returned home about five years ago and was diagnosed with brain cancer last year.

A bricklayer by trade, Buckingham forged a successful partnership with his daughter Bev Buckingham who joined her father’s stable as an apprentice in 1979. She went on to set a world record winning the 1982 Tasmanian jockeys’ premiership.

The father-daughter combination was always a factor in feature races but the partnership ended tragically in May 1998 when Bev sustained severe spinal injuries in a race fall at Elwick.

Six months later, Buckingham produced a Weasel Clause filly named My Sienna to win at Devonport and she took the family on a ride that included Group 2 wins the VRC Wakeful Stakes & Edward Manifold and a game second to Tributes in the G1 VRC Oaks.

The Buckinghams relocated to Benalla but Ted couldn’t find another My Sienna. Bev still lives there. She was wheelchair-bound but regained her strength and mobility and is able to walk again unaided.