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By Ray Thomas

Syd Brown, the legendary trainer of champions like Redcraze, Daryl's Joy, Wood Court Inn, Classic Mission, Triton and Kista, passed away on Sunday (18th May).

The former New Zealander who called Sydney home for more than five decades would have turned 100 in October. Brown, a NZ Hall of Fame inductee in 2014, was an institution at Warwick Farm where he trained.

"Syd was a good friend and mentor, a great storyteller and a wonderful horseman," trainer Ron Leemon said.

"I was up early for trackwork on Sunday morning when I got a text from Errol to let me know that his father had passed. It's a sad day."

Syd Brown with Crimson Flight. Image by Racenet

Brown first came to prominence as the trainer of emerging champion Redcraze, winner of the 1955 Turnbull Stakes before finishing fourth to Toparoa in the Melbourne Cup.

Redcraze was later transferred to Toparoa's trainer Tommy Smith and won the 1956 Caulfield Cup, Metropolitan Handicap and Brisbane Cup.

Brown then had success during the 1969 Melbourne spring carnival with Daryl's Joy winning the Cox Plate and Victoria Derby, and Wood Court Inn took out the Thousand Guineas.

Classic Mission then gave Brown the 1971 AJC Derby-Victoria Derby double before the trainer decided to move to Sydney the following year and set up stables at Warwick Farm.

Brown had immediate success when his mighty miler Triton edged out champion Gunsynd in an epic 1972 Epsom Handicap and brilliant mare Kista won the 1973 The Galaxy.

He finished third in the trainers premiership in his debut Sydney season behind greats Tommy Smith and Jack Denham. Brown continued to train winners out of his Warwick Farm stables until he retired 20 years ago.

Rod Craig, best known as the trainer of eight-time Group 1 winner Intergaze, was Brown's neighbour at Warwick Farm stables for many years.

"I remember one time when I was training I had about 50 horses in work and they kept running fourth and fifth, and I was thinking what am I doing wrong," Craig said.

"Syd came over and gave me some advice that I have never forgotten. He said it doesn't matter if you have 10 or 100 horses in work, every trainer goes through a lean period so just keep working hard and it will turn.

"He was right, of course. He was a great horseman and a real good bloke."

Brown's sons Errol and Bruce also became successful trainers in their own right. Bruce Brown continues to train out of Doomben and prepared Calaway Gal to win the 2002 Golden Slipper.