Splashout Cape Derby Day – Crawford Racing Runners

RACE 3 – SABC Class 3 – 1400M

Open. Benchmark at 60.0kg = 96

BIG UNIT

Age:      4 (at last run)

Sex:       g

M/Rating:           86 (at last run)

Owner:                Mr P M Murugasa

Breeder:             Hemel ‘N Aarde Stud

Trainer:                B/J Crawford

Breeding:           Master Of My Fate – Stormz Emprez by Second Empire (IRE)

Colours:             Green, black epaulettes, blue sleeves and collar, green cap

Some horses need time to develop, others, despite displaying natural speed, require racing over the middle distances, and other colts are naughty and require the unkindest cut of all. Big Unit’s first six races yielded one win, over 1250M at Durbanville.

Since then, he has won another three races and has shown courage and determination in all his runs and his wins have never been easy wins, but he seems to find a way to win. His last three runs, if taken at face value, could be seen as being below par runs.

However, all three of these runs have been in soft or yielding conditions (see performance data extract above), and all four of his wins have occurred when the track was good. There has been extraordinarily little rain in Cape Town in the past two weeks, so Big Unit will be running on his preferred track conditions on Saturday.

Despite Hollywoodbets pricing him up at the bottom of the boards for Race 3, the good going and the long Summer Course straight will allow Gareth Wright to put the son of Master of My Fate into the race and fine the gaps as he puts his big stride together.

16 Nov 2024 – Big Unit wins impressively at Kenilworth over 1400M

 

 

RACE 5 – CITY OF CAPE TOWN JET MASTER STAKES (Listed) ((For all Horses)) – 1600M

ZAPATILLAS

Age:      6 (at last run)

Sex:       g

M/Rating:           119 (at last run)

Owner:                Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert), Kalinga & Mrs P A Isdell

Breeder:             Varsfontein Stud

Trainer:                B/J Crawford

Breeding:           Master Of My Fate – Moggytwoshoes by Mogok (USA)

Colours:             Purple, white stripe, striped sleeves, purple cuffs and cap

Zapatillas is a striking horse. When he walks into the parade your eye is automatically drawn to him as he stalks around the parade ring. He has slowly been coming back to form and ran his best race three runs ago when finishing well into second place under a strong ride by Kabelo Matsunyane. His last run was in the WSB Cape Town Met, where drawn widest of all at seventeen, he faded in the last 200M but still finishing under six lengths off the winner.

In the first two of his comeback runs he ran on well down the summer course straight, and in the Cape Town Met faded in the last 200M from the very wide draw. His last two runs were both in yielding going, and on Saturday he will be running on his preferred going and arguably his best distance and jockey Louis Mxothwa will try and navigate the best route down the stretch to give him the best chance of running at the leaders.

Cheekpieces have been fitted to the son of Master Of My Fate to assist him to concentrate all the way through the race. He is very well going into the race, and a top four finish is not out of the question at very good odds of 10/1 despite the racing having a very short-priced favourite in See It Again.

16 Nov 2024 – Zapatillas runs second to Rapscallion in the G3 Cape Mile

RACE 6 – SplashOut PRIX DU CAP (Grade 3) ((For Fillies and Mares)) – 1400M

MON PETIT CHERIE

Age:      3 (at last run)

Sex:       f

M/Rating:           108 (at last run)

Owner:                Ridgemont (Nom: Mr Craig Kieswetter) & Mr Devin Heffer

Breeder:             Ridgemont Highlands

Trainer:                B/J Crawford

Breeding:           Rafeef (AUS) – Exotic (IRE) by Galileo (IRE)

Colours:             Dark green, blue sleeves, white cap

Mon Petit Cherie, despite being a lightly raced three-year-old filly, has already stamped herself as a filly with potential by winning the Grade 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship.  Subsequently, she ran in the Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas finishing just over six lengths behind her stable companion Fatal Flaw.

However, there were two points to note in In that seemingly below par run. One was her win in the Grade 2 was over 1400M in good going, and her run in the Grade 1 was a furlong longer and was run in soft going. She now reverts to arguably her better distance at this stage of career (1400M) and the going will definitely be on top on Saturday, which brings her right into the race. .

With these two factors in her favour, a one draw and Richard Fourie in the saddle, she should be running hard at the favourite Roccapina down the long Kenilworth straight. She is currently priced at 5/1, firmly ensconced in the top three of the betting in what is a keenly anticipated race by the racing pundits.

09 Nov 2024 – Mon Petit Cherie wins the G2 WC Filles Championship

 

RACE 6 – SplashOut PRIX DU CAP (Grade 3) ((For Fillies and Mares)) – 1400M

PRINCESS IZZY

Age:      4 (at last run)

Sex:       f

M/Rating:           98 (at last run)

Owner:                Mrs S Viljoen

Breeder:             Varsfontein Stud

Trainer:                B/J Crawford

Breeding:           Master Of My Fate – Destiny Dancer by What A Winter

Colours:             Blue, shocking pink band of diamonds and sleeves, checked diamond cap

Princess Izzy has fifteen times in her career for four wins and is therefore more exposed than her stable companion Mon Petit Cherie. She has won all four her races over 1400-1600M and will therefore have no problem with the distance. Despite having last raced in November and finishing last in a nine-horse field, she was just over five lengths behind Double Grand Slam.

Her previous two runs prior to her last run were closer to her more consistent form, and if the break has freshened her up, she should have no problem running a much-improved race compared to her last run. She is priced up at 12/1 and 2/1 for three places and if she shows the form which saw her run her best races she could be good value for a place in this very competitive lineup.

28 Sept 2024 – Princess Izzy (fourth from the right on the infield big screen) runs a good third in the G3 Diana Stakes at Durbanville

 

RACE 8 – KHAYA STABLES DIADEM STAKES (Grade 2) – 1200M

Weight For Age plus Penalties  

SURJAY

Age:      6 (at last run)

Sex:       g

M/Rating:           124 (at last run)

Owner:                Mrs S Viljoen

Breeder:             Estate Late Dr R J Antrobus

Trainer:                B/J Crawford

Breeding:           Vercingetorix – Something Of Value by Badger Land (USA)

Colours:             Blue, shocking pink band of diamonds and sleeves, checked diamond cap

Surjay is a warrior. The six-year-old gelding, who was having his 30^th run in the Grade Two Diadem Stakes on Saturday, seems primed and ready to give his all to under top jockey Louis Mxothwa.

The Kenilworth 1200M is his absolute forte having only been unplaced twice in ten attempts in multiple graded races. He carries a manageable 60kg and could give the highest rated horse in the country, Gimme a Prince a scare if he shows his customary kick in the closing stages with the cheekpieces for the first time. He is priced up at 12/1 at Hollywoodbets which is very good odds for a Grade 1 winner.

Surjay wins the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint at Greyville

22 Dec 2024 – Surjay runs third to Outlaw King carrying 63 kg in the G2 Cape Merchants

25 Jan 2025 – Surjay runs second in the Cape Flying Championship on Met Day

 

RACE 8 – KHAYA STABLES DIADEM STAKES (Grade 2) – 1200M

Weight For Age plus Penalties  

AT MY COMMAND

Age:      5 (at last run)

Sex:       g

M/Rating:           118 (at last run)

Owner:                Khaya Stables (Pty) Ltd

Breeder:             Varsfontein Stud

Trainer:                B/J Crawford

Breeding:           Querari (GER) – Imperious Girl by National Emblem

Colours:             Yellow, black stripe, striped sleeves, yellow cap

At My Command had won three from his first five runs. His next 19 runs has produced only one win but also produced eleven places including second places in high value races. Interestingly, At My Command dislikes the soft going, His last two runs have both been in the soft, as was his seventh last run (see below).

The four runs in between those runs he has never finished out of the top 5, all those runs being in Graded races. Although 1200M is not his forte, he drops back to the sprint trip on Saturday over the Kenilworth 1200M in this Grade 2 contest.

Tomorrow the son of Querari will have a good four draw, the services of in-form Kabelo Matsunyane in the saddle and the going will definitely be good. If he shows his customary kick in the closing stages, he could give the sprinters a scare at 33/1 for the win and 3/1 for three places.

 

RACE 9 – HEINEKEN CLASS 4 (F & M) ((For Fillies & Mares. Benchmark at 60.0kg = 80)) – 1400M

MIRACULOUS

Age:     3 (at last run)

Sex:       f

M/Rating:           83 (at last run)

Owner:                Mr P M Murugasa

Breeder:             Ridgemont Highlands

Trainer:                B/J Crawford

Breeding:           Rafeef (AUS) – Variety Star by Var (USA)

Colours:             Green, black epaulettes, blue sleeves and collar, green cap

Having only had five runs, Miraculous racing career is still on the upgrade. He shed his Maiden at only his third start when readily taking the lead at the 200M when a very warm favourite and pulling clear in the closing stages to win cosily.

On Saturday he contests a very tightly contested 1400M event which brings the curtain down on Splashout Cape Derby day. He is priced up as joint third favourite and has a tricky ten draw to negotiate but with ace pilot Louis Mxothwa in the saddle he will have all the assistance necessary to overcome the draw. He also has the entire length of the long run in to negotiate a passage to the line and having already run into the top four in his last two runs, should be right in the firing line when the whips are cracking in the last 200M.

05 Nov 2024 – Miraculous breaks his Maiden in impressive fashion