The Robin Swain trained Royal Bengal provided one of the harness racing highlights on what turned out to be a testing day at the recent annual Roxburgh Trotting Club meeting. 

He’s raced by Kenny Baynes and his sister-in-law Penny under the Baynes Racing banner. Kenny Baynes has undertaken to carry on the breeding and racing dynasty which was started by his late father Colin in 1949.

Royal Bengal is out of the two win Village Jasper mare Brahman Girl. She's a half-sister to Shanghai Knight the winner of nineteen races in Australia. Her pedigree traces back to one of Colin Baynes foundation mares, Brahmaputra. Brahmaputra left handy horses Ghandi (6 wins), Debra Charles (5), Satchmo (5), Kamahl (6) and Rocking Berry (10).

"I broke him (Royal Bengal)  in. He's a nice quiet colt about 15.1 hands, and he's with you all the way," said Swain.

The Christian Cullen colt qualified at Gore at the start of this season and debuted at Forbury Park in November running second to Bakari. He followed that up with another second behind Rocking Robyn at Winton before winning his maiden race at Gore at the end of last month. 

In Thursday's Transworld Pace driver Matthew Williamson settled the three year old at the rear before he made a rapid move with 1600 metres to run, to take the lead. Williamson reined him up to hold out Mossdale Rose by two and three quarter lengths. 

"He's still pretty green. He's got a great attitude and has a will to win and always gets to the line. Blair Orange drove him at his first start. I was recovering from a shoulder operation at the time. Matty is getting on well with him so he'll carry on," said Swain who says despite plenty of interest in the colt the plan to to carry on racing him in the short term. 

"There has been a bit of interest in him. They've taken him off the market and have decided to race him for the time being. We'll give him a few days off and there's a three year old race at Invercargill for him at the end of the month. We'll aim him for the Supremacy in April. I'm pretty sure he'll be competitive at that level but you don't know where you're at until you race against some of the Purdon horses." 

Robin Swain's biggest winner was also by Christian Cullen. Roman Gladiator won nineteen races for the Knapdale reinsman including the 2003 Group One NRM Sires' Stakes Final and $100,000 2004 NSW Derby.

Bruce Stewart
Southland Harness Racing