Hez So Royal delivers career highlight for trainer Alan Cronin

Saturday night’s Alabar Golden Nursery at Globe Derby delivered a career highlight for South Australian trainer Alan Cronin, as his talented colt Hez So Royal (Soho Tribeca) powered home to claim the harness racing feature in stunning fashion.

The victory marked Cronin’s biggest success to date in harness racing and also celebrated Alabar’s 15th consecutive year as naming-rights sponsor of the Golden Nursery — a milestone that underlines the stud’s long-term commitment to South Australian harness racing.

A son of Soho Tribeca, Hez So Royal displayed dazzling point-to-point speed, sprinting past race favourite One Millie in the home straight to register his fourth win from just eight starts.

“He’s an exciting young horse, and we were pretty confident going into the race after he just went down in his heat, running his last quarter in 26.9,” Cronin said. “He led in the heat but was even better chasing last night.”

HEZ SO ROYAL REPLAY

Based at Monarto, south of Adelaide, Cronin has built a reputation for producing high-quality pacers from a small but select team. The roots of this Golden Nursery success, however, stretch back almost a decade — to 2016, when close friend and stable client Greg Moy spotted a filly by Lincoln Royal in a paddock.

That filly, later named Our Royal Lady, made just three starts but made an instant impact, winning the time-honoured SA Sapling Stakes at her race debut — beating none other than Bulletproof Boy — before injury curtailed her career and sent her to the broodmare barn.

“I always believed Our Royal Lady was the best horse I’d trained at the time,” Cronin recalled. “She won the Sapling Stakes at her first start, and it was a big thrill.”

What followed was the beginning of a remarkable breeding legacy. Our Royal Lady has since become one of South Australia’s most influential broodmares, producing a string of standout performers:

• Royal Watch – 7 wins to date
• Hezrockinroyality – 11 wins and a gallant third in Saturday’s SA Pacing Cup
• Hez So Royal – the latest star, with a yearling colt by triple Miracle Mile winner King Of Swing waiting in the wings

“ Our Royal Lady is back in foal to For A Reason” Cronin explained.

Looking ahead, Hez So Royal will next target the Lordship Stakes on November 15, before progressing to the Southern Cross Series in December.

With 97 career wins already to his name, Cronin is optimistic that this exciting young colt could help elevate his stable to even greater heights.

“It’s been a great ride so far — and hopefully, we’re just getting started.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Gary Newton