August 2026 Round Up

Crawford Racing – Discipline, Champions, Global Ambition

As I wrote last month, Crawford Racing has tiptoed into the new season, with minimal nominations for the Cape racemeetings thus far. This has afforded me the opportunity to catch up with James ahead of the acceleration of nominations as we move into October.

He was kind enough to indulge me and answer all my questions with his usual brand of honesty and humour. The questions ranged from discipline of the individual and the stable, champions present and potentially future, and the global ambition for Crawford Racing as the season progresses, writes Hadley Lakay.

The Stable & Racing

On the Breakout Season: “You’ve had a landmark season taking full charge of Crawford Racing in South Africa at 25, capped off by Star Major’s Grade 1 triumph and Equus Championship. Looking back over the last twelve months, what was the single moment where you took a breath and thought, ‘We’ve really built something special here’?”

James: “Star Major winning a Gr1, together with receiving the Equus Champion 3YO Colt/Gelding of the Year award, was a very special moment. It made me appreciate what I had learnt from my Dad and the incredibly high base that he had presented me with when striking out on my own. It has been a privilege to take over from him.

Another moment that really stood out was the incredible support from our owners throughout the season. Their belief in us, their horses and what we are building means a great deal to me, and it makes the success of the stable even more rewarding when we can share those moments with them.”

On the Next Generation: “From Star Major taking top honours to Fish Tales winning a Grade 2 on Gold Cup Day, the stable has serious depth. Is there a horse currently in the yard who has not made massive headlines yet, but who you think could be our next Graded contender?”

James: “The stable has some exciting 3-year-olds that have not run yet, but they will be stepping onto the racetrack shortly. Although there are always questions around greenness, their first time at the races and racing around the turn at Hollywoodbets Durbanville (we race at the country course for the month of October) we are cautiously optimistic of some good runs from them.”

Muay Thai, Discipline & Daily Routine

On Muay Thai & Fight Discipline: “Outside the yard, you practice Muay Thai—a sport renowned for its gruelling physical demands, sharp focus, and mental toughness. How does getting into the ring or on the pads help you clear your head, and do any of those martial arts conditioning principles carry over into training thoroughbreds?”

James: “In Muay Thai, once you put the pads on, you enter the bridge between technical shadow boxing and actual sparring. It demands a heightened level of mental and physical focus. I see a strong parallel with training equine athletes: both require preparation, discipline, constant assessment and a willingness to find fresh perspectives and new ways to improve.

That same mindset carries from my Thai boxing into my work with horses, continually refining the process, challenging myself to improve and striving to take our stable to new heights.”

On Kitchen Craft vs. The Sweet Tooth: “We know you stay disciplined by preparing your own healthy meals to power through those 4:30 AM starts, but we also hear you have a bit of a sweet tooth! What is your ultimate go-to cheat dessert or treat after a big day at the races?”

James: “I do prepare my own healthy meals, but my sweet tooth is, and always will be, ice cream. My favourite flavour is salted caramel, and there always seems to be at least one two-litre tub in my freezer. Ice cream, in conjunction with a celebratory drink, is my personal way of treating myself when the stable has had a brilliant day.”

Looking Ahead – Liverpool and Crawford Racing as a global brand

On Matchdays & Liverpool FC: “When you aren’t analyzing race programs or at the track, you’re a resolute Liverpool FC supporter. How do matchday nerves watching Liverpool compare to watching one of your horses turn for home in a Grade 1 feature?”

James: “There is a difference between supporting Liverpool and preparing a horse for a Graded race. With Liverpool, because I have no input into their preparation for matches, when I sit down to watch them play, it is all nerves and simply wanting them to win.

However, when I, along with my stable, am preparing our horses, raceday is different. The nerves are replaced by pure adrenaline and excitement, hoping that all the preparation will ultimately result in a winner for their respective owner or owners.”

On the New Season Ahead: “As we open the book on the new racing season, what is the main goal—either as a Stable for Crawford Racing or as a Global Brand, or Both?

James: “We want success for our stable, as well as our owners. We want to keep improving, bring more horses into the Winners’ Enclosure, improve our strike rate and ultimately win more Graded races, and, of course, more Gr1s.

For our global brand, we want to purchase horses for ourselves, our owners and my Dad in Hong Kong that will put us at the forefront as we continue striving to develop Crawford Racing as a global brand.”

A massive thank you to James for all his forthright answers and never shirking the challenging questions. As the nominations increase from October, the stable trusts that all the preparatory work behind the scenes will start to bear fruit for all the owners as well as Crawford Racing.

Horse of the Month – Hollywoodbets Racing Boozy Susie

There are certain horses who just improve as they race and mature, as a trainer ascertains the optimal distance for the horse. Boozie Susie’s breeding suggested that she is at her optimum over 1400M/1600M, and that has been borne out in her races as well. She won on her third visit to the racecourse over 1400M, then two seconds followed over 1400M and 1600M. She then had some mixed runs before regaining her form in her last two runs where she recorded back to back victories for owners Hollywood Racing (Nom: Mr A Delpech).

BOOZY SUSIE

Age: 4 (at last run)

Sex: f

M/Rating: 82 (at last run)

Owner: Hollywood Racing (Nom: Mr A Delpech)

Breeder: Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein

Trainer: James Crawford

Breeding: Danon Platina (JPN) – Elle Va by Var (USA)

Colours: Yellow, purple stars, yellow cap, purple star

In August she won her second race, jumping well and galloping all the way to the line to win by just under a length. That win, as impressive as it was, was surpassed by the win in her latest run. Once again, Sean Veale was in the saddle, and jumping from a good draw of four, she displayed good gate speed and Sean positioned her just off the pace as the field made their way to the bend.

She continued to race well, perched on the outside of her stable companion Who Is She as the field rounded the bend. The daughter of Danon Platina put her best foot forward as the field spun into the stretch, Sean allowing her to stretch as the field went though the 400M. She showed lovely acceleration and quickly put 3 lengths between the field and herself throughout the 200M, continuing to gallop relentlessly to the line, widening the gap to four lengths at the finishing line under the hands.

Boozy Susie makes it two wins on the bounce in impressive fashion

Boozy Susie – Winning Interview

In his winning Interview, Sean was of the the opinion that he allowed her to reach her maximum speed in her penultimate run a touch too soon and hence the reduction in her victory margin at the line.  He said he had learnt from that run, giving her more time to find her stride this time around before asking for her final effort. James, one not easily impressed, said he was pleasantly surprised at how well she had won, as this was against a field of very good horses. Now that Boozy Susie has matured and seems to have found her optimal distances, she should continue to improve as she traverses the divisions for owner Hollywood Racing.

ROTM – Miss William and GVN all the way from Mauritius

Grant Van Niekerk is an enigma. A mind of his own at times, very determined in his own right, massively talented as a jockey, and currently plying his trade on the island of Mauritius. However, he does flit over to South Africa on the odd occasion, and the last Saturday in October was one of those days.

Miss William is a Durbanville specialist, having, before her latest run, won both her races at Durbanville. Back to her favourite track and distance, saw Miss William backed in on the bookmakers’ odds ante post. When you combine a multi-talented Grant Van Niekerk and a Hollywoodbets Durbanville specialist looking for her third victory over course and distance, she had to be considered as a possible winner despite running against a very good field of hard knocking fillies.

MISS WILLIAM

Age: 5 (at last run)

Sex: m

M/Rating: 80 (at last run)

Owner: Mrs D J Sherrell & Mr L Sherrell

Breeder: La Berg Stud

Trainer: James Crawford

Breeding: William Longsword – Hopeitsaprize (ARG) by Pure Prize (USA)

Colours: Black, white sleeves, black armbands and cap, white peak

Jumping from a middling draw of five, the daughter of William Longsword showed good gate speed, settling as the leader as the field moved into the bend. She continued to race at the head of the field as they entered the straight, but this is where jockeyship took over. Miss William now made a beeline to the outside rail, and instead of fighting her, Grant allowed her to move across to the outside, now asking her for her effort as the field went through the 400M.

Miss William was now in full cry up the centre, and it always seemed, despite the angle between the inside horses and the one runner up the outside, that she was in contention. As the field went through the 200M, Grant was hard at work giving her some right handed persuasion and she responded beautifully forging to the front in the shadow of the post to win her third race, all three at Durbanville, all three over the 1250M.

Miss William records her third win, all at the country course

Miss William – Winning Interview

As Miss William passed the post, commentator for the day, Alistair Cohen could not hide his admiration with a “Grant Van Niekerk you little genius”. This was a fitting conclusion to a brilliant ride from the young man currently plying his trade on arguably one of the most beautiful islands in the world and winning a race at one of the most picturesque racecourses in South Africa.

Miss William has been a wonderful acquisition for owners Mrs D J Sherrell & Mr L Sherrell, recording the third win of her career. Despite winning all her races at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, as she matures, and the determination she displayed in her latest win, could see her carry that form into her starts at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth when we return to Cape Town’s HQ, Hollywoodbets Kenilworth during the summer months.

Race Coast Sales – October 2026 at the Country Course  

The 2026 Race Coast Two Year Old Sales will be taking place on October 24, 2026, with prominent breeders like Ambiance, Drakenstein, and Normandy Studs presenting their elite equine athletes at this sale. A sale such as this, deserves a venue that compliments its ambience, and hence the sale will take place at the racecourse that has been described as one of the most picturesque in South Africa, Hollywoodbets Durbanville Racecourse.

Season Retrospective: Premier Graded Victories

When Erik Dubois, a R375,000 purchase from the 2025 March Yearling Sale, secured victory in the Gr1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Premiers Champion Stakes (1600m), he concluded a highly successful campaign for graduates of Race Coast Sales. The Gr 1 feature marked a notable result for Race Coast Sales, with fellow sales alumni Red Spice and Vibe Check finishing third and fourth respectively.

The final weekend of the season at Hollywoodbets Greyville also featured the unbeaten two-year-old filly Marchland, a R450,000 buy from the 2025 Premier Yearling Sale, who earned her fourth consecutive victory in the Gr 2 Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes (1600m). Bred by Lammerskraal Stud and owned by Mervin Govender, Marchland added the Gr 2 success to her previous wins in the Listed East Cape Fillies Nursery and Listed Lady’s Slipper Stakes.

Feature Race Incentives and International Results

Graduates of Race Coast Sales recorded victories across graded stakes nationwide during the 2025–2026 season. Notable performers included Vibe Check (R650,000 buy) winning the Gr 2 Omoda Golden Horseshoe, Isivivane (R450,000 buy) capturing the Gr 3 WSB 1900 with earnings reaching R1,214,900, Taxi To The Moon (R1,000,000 buy) taking the Gr 2 Golden Horse Sprint to elevate his earnings to R1,702,156, Malmesbury Missile (R900,000 buy) securing the Gr 3 Byerley Turk, and La Pulga (R275,000 buy) winning the Gr 3 Legal Eagle Stakes.

Internationally, Champion One Stripe (a R1,400,000 purchase from the 2023 Ready To Run Sale bred by Drakenstein Stud) achieved prominent results in North America, winning at Gulfstream Park before finishing second in both the Gr 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational and the Gr 1 Maker’s Mark Mile, and concluding his campaign with a third-place finish in the Gr 1 Manhattan Stakes.

Looking Ahead: Stud Farm Draft Summaries for the October 2026 Sale

The upcoming October 2026 Race Coast Two-Year-Old Sale features catalogued consignments from leading South African breeding operations. With catalogued entries extending up to Lot 144 and beyond, the upcoming October Two-Year-Old Sale brings together a strong lineup of entries from premier breeding operations across South Africa, including Ambiance Stud, Drakenstein Stud, Hopes And Dreams Stud, Normandy Stud, Paardeberg Stud, and Beaumont Stud.

The catalogue presents an impressive cross-section of established champion stallions and promising young sires. Offspring on offer include progeny by proven leaders such as Querari, Master Of My Fate, Rafeef, The United States, Vercingetorix, and Futura, alongside exciting younger stallions such as Hawwaam, One World, Kommetdieding, Jet Dark, Soqrat, Buffalo Bill Cody, and Fire Away.

For Crawford Racing, James is already well underway doing his homework, thoroughly analyzing pedigree pages, examining family crosses, and shortlisting prospective two-year-old entries to identify the stable’s next potential star on the track. If you would like James to review a specific lot, please contact him directly at the below.

If your interest has been peeked, and you would like to explore your options as a potential new owner, or part of a syndicate, please contact our stable operations co-ordinator, Tammi at the below and RSVP for your place at the Crawford Racing table.

james@crawfordracing.net |  tammi@crawfordracing.net

Event Details

• Date: Saturday, 24 October 2026
• Time: 15:00
• Venue: Hollywoodbets Durbanville Racecourse
• Catalogued Lots: 158 horses