Hez So Royal in courageous Southern Cross win

Tough gelding Hez So Royal (Soho Tribeca)  repeated his Southern Cross success as a two year old with a sterling win in the Bellmoure Park Stud Southern Cross Final for three year old colts and geldings at Globe Derby on Saturday night.

It was a keen betting race with the Victorian Treacherous Dan expected to make amends after his placing in the heat but there was plenty of support for the two heat winners Hez So Royal and Sriracha.

The race was won with a daring move by Ryan Hryhorec who took off mid field with a lap and a half left to travel with a lightning move to take over the lead from Treacherous Dan. However he wasn’t give much peace by Steam Machine who had unsuccessfully tackled for the lead earlier and had to race facing the breeze.

Treacherous Dan then had the drop on the leader while Sriracha was able to extricate from a pocket to appear as a real danger on the final bend. In fact Sriracha sprinted so quickly it looked as if he might overtake Hez So Royal but the latter kept finding plenty and in a stirring finish held off Sriracha by just under three metres with Treacherous Dan who obtained an inside run having to settle for third.

Hez So Royal was the standout two year old last season winning the Southern Cross, the Golden Nursery and the Lordship Stakes. This season he had won the South Australia Sires Produce and was runner up in the South Australia Harness Racing Club Derby.

The gelding has been a top performer for trainer Alan Cronin and has now 14 of his 22 race starts and over $105,874 not a bad effort as he’s raced mainly at Globe Derby and three appearances at Mildura.

The fillies division was a thrilling battle between the Emma Stewart pair of Hilltop Star (Captaintreacherous) and Hilltop Blossom who like Hez So Royal was trying to repeat her two year old success of last year.

Both fillies were battling out favouritism but there was also support for Jess Tubb’s filly Sandleton. Hilltop Star with the superior barrier draw was able to hold the early lead but was tested by Grumpypants Gracie whose driver tried to wrest the lead but Wayne Hill on Hilltop Star was having none of it and he kept the inside running.

Hilltop Blossom secured a one out and one back trail but wasn’t there for long as her driver Jackie Barker make a quick move to get around the field and take up the running. Unfortunately Sandleton who had settled one out mid field early went for a break and effectively lost all chance.

Hilltop Blossom then had to contend with a challenge from Bay La Ville with Hilltop Star stalking behind the leader and Mezzanotti starting to work into the picture. But although Hilltop Star had used a bit of energy early she went for the inside run and in a punishing finish she outstayed Hilltop Blossom by a head with Bay La Ville a fair distance back in third.

Hilltop Star is raced by her late breeder Val Bain who also bred Hilltop Blossom and the lightly raced filly has now won two of her nine starts to date.

By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink