“X Man” bounces back in the best way

The smile on the face of popular Kyneton harness racing identity Tony “X Man” Xiriha said it all.

Xiriha, now with a clean bill of health, was back at Melbourne’s TABcorp Park Melton last Friday night doing what he loves-driving horses and getting a longshot winner!

“It was just a pity I couldn’t have done it a few weeks ago when I had my first drive back. Then it would have been a fairytale return. But I’m just happy to be back at it,” he said.

Xiriha was diagnosed with prostate cancer a few days before Christmas 2020. After several bouts of surgery, along with professional and family care and a lot of rest, he got the “all clear” two months ago.

“It was a bit agonising because the clinic rang four hours later than what was planned. But after getting the good news, we did go and celebrate.”

Having just his sixth drive back, Xiriha landed 10-year-old gelding Ears Ponder (Ponder-Our Last Holme (Holmes Hanover) in the DNR Logistics VicBred Pace at bolters odds of 33/1.

“The horse is trained by Wally Toczynski who I’ve known for a long time. Wally is my uncle’s brother-in-law and does a pretty good job with the gelding,” Xiriha said.

“I finished second a week earlier at Kilmore on Ears Ponder and before that he’d been placed twice out of his previous three runs. He doesn’t have that real high speed, but he can stick on really well.”

After coming out of the gate and “having a good go for the lead”, Xiriha was happy to drop in behind the eventual race pilot Lotakevi (Ross Payne). He could have waited for the sprint lane but opted to come out earlier.

“He was travelling nicely, and it was probably lucky I did move out because we only won by a head in the end,” Xiriha said.

“The horse has now won 10 races and he’s one of those types that is always around the mark.”

Xiriha has a team of six horses in work and has his son Ben giving him a hand in the afternoons.

“I used to prepare some pretty big teams back in the day, but this is an enjoyable number at the moment,” he said.

Xiriha has been racing since 1989 and has trained and driven over 200 winners.

The Prostate cancer diagnosis was picked up when Xiriha went to the doctor for a medical to renew his harness racing licence.

“He suggested that I get a blood test before the physical examination and that’s when he noticed something wasn’t quite right,” Xiriha said.

“I’m now urging others, not only men involved in our sport, but everyone to go and get checked each year. It’s just a simple blood test.”

By Terry Gange for Harnesslink