Royal Watch triumphs for Cronin family
While feature wins are fantastic, there can be other victories which are super special.
Such was the case with Royal Watch at Globe Derby Parks on Saturday night in the Hilltop Flowers Pace (1800m).
Brilliantly driven by Mark Norman, Royal Watch ($19) sprinted from last to grab a half neck win from Crookwell Jake ($2.90 fav) with Duke Of Dundee ($5.50), five metres away third.
The five-year-old is part-owned and was part-bred by Murray Bridge trainer Alan Cronin.
The trainer, and his wife Ngareta, had family visiting from New Zealand on the weekend, and with their own family, were all on course to witness the win.
The crew included New Zealand visitors Wayne and Anne Milligan, Anne being a grand daughter of former top SA trainer Ray August. Other family included Estelle and Rob Fletcher, Megan Yelland, Jannette August, Rob August plus the Cronin’s granddaughters Alice, Mia and Leia.
“It was really something to have everyone here and for Royal Watch to win like he did,” Cronin said.
“And to have the horse back racing consistently is an added bonus.”
Cronin explained that as a two-year-old, in early 2022, he thought Royal Watch could be a star.
“I worked him one day and dared to dream, then the next day I found him in his paddock with both his stifles locked.
“Every vet I spoke to said it was just going to be a matter of time, and hope, that he would come good.
“For 18 months, he spent 75 percent of his time lying down, even eating his food.
“But time and care worked, and he was able to win on race debut on November 6 in 2023.
“He still had his issues, and we had to be careful to space his runs. But, experimenting, I have now been able get some consistency and tonight was his fourth run this month.
“With racing, he is getting fitter each week, and he is now the best I have ever had him.
“Credit to Mark (Norman), he could not have driven Royal Watch any better.”
Norman went back from gate seven early and settled at the tail of the field.
Duke Of Dundee made a run three wide over the last lap and Norman took a trail into the race before asking Royal Watch to sprint.
Crookwell Jake, which had led, looked to have stalled off all challenges until Royal Watch suddenly appeared out wide to grab the win.
Top reinsman at the Globe Derby Park meeting was Wayne Hill who drove a treble to take his tally for the season in SA to 105, 16 in front of his sister Danielle who failed to salute at the meeting.
Wayne Hill won on Bishop George for trainers Jill Neilson and Katie Wilson, then Wings On The Line and Beach Diamond for Victorian trainer Emma Stewart.
Those two winners take Stewart’s SA tally to 14 in 2025 and place her just outside the top 10 trainers.
Wings On The Line ($1.80 fav) sat third on the fence in the SAHRC Members Day Sunday August 31 Pace (2230m) before dashing up the sprint lane to score by three metres from Sunstar ($2.15) with Just Chai ($31), a half-metre away third.
The four-year-old mare has won 12 of her 20 starts and is expected to run again this Saturday to try and build on her record.
Arguably the run of the night was by three-year-old Beach Diamond ($1.18 fav) in the SAHRC Committee Roo9m Available For Bookings Pace (1800m).
Coming from a back row draw, the filly, taking on older horses, came three wide to sit parked for the last lap and raced away in the home straight to score by 16 metres in a mile rate of 1:56.7 with a last 800 metres in an excellent 56.7 seconds.
Beach Diamond will now head back to Stewart’s Victorian stables before crossing Bass Strait to run in the Listed $40,000 Tasmanian Oaks (2090m) at Hobart on Sunday, September 7.
Reinsman Michael Smith drove a double in consecutive races.
Trigger made it two wins in a row for Virginia trainer Mark Russo who has the six-year-old in career-best form.
Smith took Trigger ($4 fav) to the front from gate three before handing up to Wyattflynn ($4.60).
Despite not travelling well around the home turn, the six-year-old found another gear in the home straight to dash through and score a three-metre win.
Smith then led throughout on Silver Spoon for trainer Phil Westbury in the Ladbrokes Odds Surge Trotters Mobile (2230m).
- Graham Fischer
- Photo Walter Bulyga