Double for Alan Cronin on Southern Cross Finals night
Hobby trainer Alan Cronin had his most successful night in harness racing at Globe Derby Park on Saturday winning two of the feature races.
Hez So Royal won the Listed $35,000 2025 Bellmoure Park Stud 2YO Pacing Colts & Geldings Southern Cross Final (1800m) then Hezrockinroyalty took out the $9999 2025 Kevin & Kay Seymour 4YO Entires & Geldings Southern Cross Final (2230m).
The pair are both out of the mare Our Royal Lady, Hez So Royal by Soho Tribeca while Rock N Roll Heaven is the sire of Hezrockinroyalty.
It has been well reported that Cronin’s harness world hit rock bottom when Our Royal Lady had to be retired.
The filly won the SA Sapling Stakes at her first start and in the beaten brigade was the current star Bulletproof Boy. But after just three starts she had to be retired.
“I firmly believed at the time she was the best horse I had trained and was looking forward to a long and successful career,” Cronin said.
“I was gutted when she had to be retired.
“But her achievements in the breeding barn have been amazing and given myself and our owners are great ride.
The ownership group includes Cronin, Greg Moy, Tracy Matthews, Rob Kerr and Bill Moy and the late Alan Matthews – good friends for many years.
Her first foal Royal Watch won seven races, then came Hezrockinroyalty (12 wins) and perhaps the best Hez So Royal (seven wins).
Coming through is a soon-to-be yearling, Doubledipinroyalty, by King of Swing.
Going to Globe Derby Park on Saturday, Cronin said he was excited daring to dream both horses could win.
“I could not have been happier with the pair, but I admit I feel a bit of pressure when a horse like Hez So Royal is so short in the betting, there is so much expectation.”
There were no worries as Hez So Royal ($1.20 fav) speared straight to the front from gate four with Ryan Hryhorec in the sulky and was never really challenged scoring by eight metres from Steam Machine ($8.50) with Gym Junky ($9), six metres away third in a mile rate of 1:57.4.
It was Hryhorec’s second driving success in the 3YO C & G Southern Cross having driven Oztreos to victory in 2006.
There was a fair bit of emotion with Steam Machine as the gelding was bred and part-owned by Mount Gambier’s Bob Maloney, who recently passed away and had his funeral on Friday.
He did get that much-wanted win in the Ladbrokes 3YO Pacing Southern Cross Consolation (2230m) when Bizzie Lizzie grabbed a half head win.
Cronin’s second winner Hezrockinroyalty was achieved in what some observers considered to be the race of the night.
Even though there were just five runners, there was great speculation about how the race would be run, and which horse would prevail.
Bay Jim Major ($1.70 fav), trained by Les Harding and driven by Danielle Hill, was able to find the front from barrier two but had to withstand a strong challenge from Hezrockinroyalty ($2.70) which had come out fast from gate five.
Rather than get into a speed battle, Ryan Hryhorec eased the Cronin pacer behind the leader and hopefully prove too quick over the final stages.
Hill was able to record a comfortable 61.6 second first half of the last mile before increasing the tempo with a 28.7 second third quarter coming home in 28.2 seconds.
Hryhorec angled Hezrockinroyalty to the sprint lane in the home straight and the gelding accelerated to grab a 3-1/2 metre victory from Bay Jim Major with Classic Line ($7), a metre away third.
Cronin said Hez So Royal would now go for a good break, but Hezrockinroyalty was likely to run this Saturday at Globe Derby Park in the $14,999 Jim Jacques Christmas Cup (2230m).
“Hez So Royal has basically been in work all year.
“He did have a few weeks of box rest after he ran a nail through a hoof but next year, hopefully he can measure up in the good quality three-year-old races such as the Vicbred and Breeders Crown races.”
- Story Graham Fischer
- Photo Walter Bulyga