Watchme Win Carries Local Hopes Into Group 1 Goodwood

Kristen Manning

Editor

Last updated: Thu 07 May 2026 16:41

Kristen Manning 07 May 2026

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South Australia aims to end Victoria's five-year dominance in The Goodwood
Trainer Andrew Gluyas saddles up Watchme Win, a consistent and resilient sprinter
Watchme Win overcame injury to become a key local hope in Saturday's feature

Leon Macdonald and Andrew Gluyas congratulate Jamie Kah after Goldrush Guru’s Victoria Derby win at Flemington in 2024. (Getty)

With South Australia's biggest sprinting contest, the $1 million Group 1 Goodwood, dominated in recent years by Victorian-based trainers (the last five runnings), it seems time for a local to put their hand up.

Some Pretty Smart Ones
Quite The Comeback

At the time calling South Australia home, Tony McEvoy was the most recent South Australian trainer to win the 1200m feature - with Despatch in 2019.

Another highly successful South Australian, the local and Australian Racing Hall Of Fame member Leon Macdonald, won most of Adelaide's features, but unfortunately The Goodwood eluded him.

He, along with his son-in-law and training partner Andrew Gluyas, went close to the prize when, at her final start, Another Award was a game second to the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Royal Merchant in 2023.

Some Pretty Smart Ones

And back in 2009, Augusta Proud did Leon proud when she made a run, holding on for fourth in the race quinellaed by Takeover Target and I Am Invincible.

"We have had nice horses run into some pretty smart ones," Andrew said.

But maybe 2026 is his year.

Now training (since the start of the 2023 season) on his own, Andrew is looking forward to Saturday at Morphettville, saddling up the classy and consistent Watchme Win.

To be ridden by Jason Holder - who enjoyed Goodwood success on Ambala in 1994 - Watchme Win has solid credentials, having finished off gamely at his two lead-up runs; finishing second in the Group 3 R.N. Irwin Stakes and the Group 3 John Hawkes Stakes, whose winners Super Smink and Grand Larceny he meets better at the weights.

Watchme Win won the John Hawkes Stakes last year when third-up and then ran in The Goodwood, beaten less than three lengths.

"He is definitely a more mature horse this time around," Andrew said, adding that after Watchme Win's close second in the Listed Christmas Handicap, the Goodwood was firmly in sight.

"It has always been the plan and I am very pleased with him, I think he is a good chance in an open field."

"He is an honest sprinter who I hope can just take that next step."

Quite The Comeback

Watchme Win is quite the comeback story - badly injured when a runaway horse careered into him at trackwork as a youngster. Requiring surgery and lengthy rehabilitation, he had a year off the scene, doing a great job to win at his Murray Bridge debut in July 2024.

Fortunately, the gelding has shown no signs of those early traumas since, Andrew pleased when the pre-Group 1 race tests were all clear... "he was spot on."

Bred by renowned local breeder Harry Perks (who remains in the ownership), the son of Harry Angel was purchased by the stable for $160,000 at the 2022 William Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

He has another of Leon Macdonald's sons-in-law in the ownership, popular racecaller Terry McAuliffe.

The winner of six of his 20 starts (also six times placed), Watchme Win is the first named foal produced by the Caulfield-winning Sepoy mare Watchme Spin, whose four-year-old son Point And Shoot is also a multiple city winner.

Last spring, paying a return visit to Darley's Harry Angel (also the sire of her yet-to-race two-year-old Harry's Hussey), Watchme Spin is one of only three foals produced by the multiple city winner Tobouggie Woogie - half-sister to the four-time Group winner Majestic Music.

Tobouggie Woogie's grandam is the Listed winner Twitter (a descendant of the legendary matriarch Chelandry), dam of the Group 1 1000 Guineas winner Serious Speed and ancestress of the stakes winners Reldas, Victory Chant, Run Fox Run and Guard Of Honour.

Representing South Australia in baseball, Andrew Gluyas trained as an electrical fitter, but by the age of 30, the racing bug had been thoroughly caught and he enjoyed success with the likes of Listed winner Terravue and the multiple city winner Dollydeva.

He had begun his equine career mucking out stables for Leon after forming a friendship with his future wife Sue, Leon's daughter.