Cronin chasing three wins at Tamworth

The Select Auto Glass North West Three-Year-Old Pace is proving to be one of the toughest races to pick a winner from on the nine-race card at the Tamworth  harness racing meeting on Friday night.

Newly established Tamworth trainer Mitch Faulkner is pitching his young pacer, Cronin, as being able to make it three wins on the trot in the feature event.

Cronin comes into the race off a last start win at Tamworth on April 13 after notching his first career winner at Narrabri the start prior back on April 2.

Named after Parramatta legend Mick Cronin and racing in the blue and yellow silks, the Art Major-Bronski Flyer gelding has drawn barrier nine.

“Hopefully he gets a bit of a run into the race and can finish it off,” Faulkner said. 

He has only got the one eye so he has taken a little bit longer learning how to race than others with the one eye but he is getting use to it now

Mitch Faulkner

Cronin is certainly showing he has got some “true grit” as he races with vision in only one eye.

“He has only got the one eye so he has taken a little bit longer learning how to race than others with the one eye but he is getting use to it now,” he said.

As the former Uralla trainer flicked his way through the form guide to source his main dangers in the race he summed the result up well.

“The whole field has been racing consistently,” he said.

“Nathan Hurst from Bathurst always gets a winner when he comes to Tamworth and I think his horse (Tulhurst Terror) will be tough. The Elders (Shezlikeaterror) have drawn the five and the Weidemann’s always seem to find one (Groovy Miss Annie) that could win as well”

Faulkner has two other pacers engaged at the Tamworth meeting in last start winner Gottashopearly in the Perc Verning Memorial and Somebeach N Clovelly in the TAB Pace.

Onedin Highlander has already had his “hit out” for the week when he contested the Menangle meeting on Tuesday afternoon.

 Mitch Faulkner was happy with Onedin Highlander's run at Menangle on Tuesday. 

“That was a massive run by Onedin Highlander – even though he finished last the winner (The Golden Cross) went 1.51 for 1609 metres. My horse raced three wide for the whole trip and was beaten 40 metres,” Faulkner said.

By Julia Maughan

Reprinted with permission of The Northern Daily Leader

• First race at Tamworth on Friday night is set for 4.42pm with the Tamworth HRC Old Boys Day Pace.