December News

Two Graded Winners on Fillies Guineas Day

 

Fillies Guineas Day at Kenilworth Racecourse in Cape Town is one of the best days on the racing calendar. Numerous Graded races permeate the racing day, and to have a winner in one of those Graded Races on such a high-profile raceday is considered very good for a racing stable.

On the 07^th of December on Fillies Guineas Day at Kenilworth Crawford Racing won not only the Grade 2 Green Point Stakes with the Hollywoodbets July winner Oriental Charm, but also the Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas with the Assm Racing Syndicate (Nom: Mr A Chadha) owned Fatal Flaw. Two Graded Races and two fourth places from the continuously improving Join the Dots and Big Unit rounded off a superb day of racing for the stable.

 

Oriental Charm

An “underdone” Oriental Charm is all class winning the G2 Green Point Stakes

 

The first Graded race winner on Fillies Guineas Day was the Hollywoodbets Durban July winner Oriental Charm. After breaking his Maiden on debut, Oriental Charm had been penciled in by form studiers in their little black books. His next three runs were all over the sprint trips, but then in his next six runs he won three races, including the Grade 2 World Sports Betting 1900M, the Grade 3 Dolphin Cup, and the pinnacle of the Natal season, the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

The son of Vercingetorix was then given a well-deserved five-month rest. He made his reappearance in the Grade 2 Green Point Sakes, against a small but competitive field. Jumping from a five draw, Oriental Charm showed no signs of rustiness as he took up the running as the field took the bend.

He continued set the pace as jockey JP Van Der Merwe slid him across to the outside running rail at the top of the straight. He continued to gallop relentlessly all the way to the line, displaying all the grit and determination of a champion and hitting the line full of running. As JP said in the post-race interview, he was still looking a little underdone in condition, so there seems to be plenty to work with for Crawford Racing as the Cape Season progresses.

 

Fatal Flaw

 

The second Graded race winner was the brilliant filly, Fatal Flaw. Yes, she has run second five times, but two of those second places have been to the soon to be globetrotting equine superstar Quid Pro Quo. In her next run she ran a short head second in a Plate race where she raced against all colts and geldings and her next run was once again in Fillies company, winning the HSH Princess Charlene Starling Stakes, a Grade Three event run on the Turffontein Standside Track on Charity Mile Day at the beginning of November, in scintillating fashion.

 

Fatal Flaw in cruise control winning the Gr 3 HSH Princess Charlene Sarling Stakes

 

Fatal Flaw was then withdrawn from the Grade 3 Betway Fillies Mile over 1600M on Summer Cup Day to instead contest the Grade One WSB Fillies Guineas at Kenilworth Racecourse. Her form had been franked coming into this race, as Quid Pro Quo showed her class in winning the Betway Dingaans, as well as World Of Alice winning the Betway Fillies Mile, both on Summer Cup Day.

In the Fillies Guineas she had drawn thirteen in a thirteen-horse field and big race jockey Piere Strydom would have to use all his experience and guile to guide through this race. As they jumped, her natural gate speed allowed her to negate the wide barrier, with Piere expertly bringing her across before the field started taking the bend.

As they spun into the stretch Piere gave her a breather before asking for more and she extended down the lane to be three lengths ahead of the field as they entered the last 400M. She continued galloping strongly down the lane, finding more in the in the last 200M to win by just over two lengths. A brilliant and rewarding victory for a top filly.

 

 

A high-profile day on the horseracing calendar with two graded race winners was an incredible way to announce to the racing public the partnership of Brett and James Crawford. The stable is a highly professionally run outfit, with James running the Gauteng stable and Brett the Cape Town Stable.

However, Crawford Racing is not just James and Brett and their sponsors Hollywoodbets, but also all the very talented individuals behind the scenes who provide the cogs in this well-oiled machine that is Team Crawford. The Team that brings two Graded race winners to the racecourse in prime form to do what all stables ultimately aim for, to win races for their owners.

 

Ride of the Month – The Futurist

 

The definition of Enigma is a person or thing that is mysterious or difficult to understand. The Futurist is the very definition of an enigma, a horse who runs one way, fast. He will jump and just run, and if he is in the mood, will beat Pacaya by almost ten lengths in the Grade 3 Pocket Power Stakes over 1950M at Kenilworth, setting a course record in the process.

The Futurist wins the Grade 3 Pocket Power Stakes in spectacular fashion

 

 

However, when not in the mood, he will set the pace and then fade, finishing midfield in most of his other races. He has run 25 times, winning five races, finishing second or third five times and unplaced in the other 15 races.

Since that win in the Grade 3, he has travelled to Natal and Gauteng to contest races in those centres, finishing midfield in all three races. He is now back to the centre of his last win having travelled down from Gauteng with the superstar filly Fatal Flaw.

On Cape Guineas Day, Saturday, the 14^{th of} December, The Futurist was in the mood and decided to put his best foot forward in the Ridgemont Peninsula Handicap, a Grade 3 event over 1800M. Drawn widish at seven, he jumped a step slow out of the gates so had to work a little harder to get to the lead.

However, after 400m he had taken the lead and was now in full stride as he stretched his lead to four lengths as they started taking the turn. Anthony Andrews was now allowing him to stride as they spun into the stretch, and he increased that lead to six lengths as they entered the long Summer Course straight.

He continued to lead maintaining a two-length advantage going through the 200M and although he started feeling his early exertions as they went through the 100M, kept finding all the way to the line to record the second Grade three win of his career.

 

 

The Futurist gallops resolutely to record his second Grade 3 victory

 

The Futurist can beat good horses when he is in the mood. He has struck up a good relationship with Anthony Andrews, who seems to have a telepathic connection with him. The pair have now won two Grade three races in seven months by a combined margin of ten lengths.

He might be coming to the end of his racing career, but the way he runs, and the way Anthony seems to connect with him, there is no reason to think that if entered in the right race, ridden by the right jockey, he could very well win another race or two for his owners Pete & Janet Carolin, Ms G MacGregor, Mr A G & Mrs D Turk.

 

Oriental Charm – Mission WSB Cape Town Met

After breaking his Maiden on debut, Oriental Charm had been penciled in by form studiers in their little black books. His next three runs were all over the sprint trips, but then in his next six runs he won three races, including the Grade 2 World Sports Betting 1900M, the Grade 3 Dolphin Cup, and the pinnacle of the Natal season, the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

The son of Vercingetorix was then given a well-deserved five-month rest. He made his reappearance in the Grade 2 Green Point Sakes. Oriental Charm showed no signs of rustiness, galloping relentlessly all the way to the line, displaying all the grit and determination of a champion and hitting the line full of running. As big race jockey JP Van Der Merwe said in the post-race interview, he was still looking a little underdone in condition, so there seems to be plenty to work with for Crawford Racing as the Cape Season progresses.

 

An “underdone” Oriental Charm is all class winning the G2 Green Point Stakes

 

 

On Saturday he took the next step to the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met when he ran in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate (Grade 1) – 1600M at Kenilworth Racecourse. He was still not 100% as Crawford Racing steps him up for his ultimate goal at the end of January. The Kings Plate was his second run after the rest and although his run was below par compared to his previous runs, the second run after the rest syndrome does sometimes even affect Hollywoodbets Durban July winners.

 

Oriental Charm Wins the 2024 Hollywoodbets Durban July

 

On Saturday in the Grade 1 King’s Plate, the son of Vercingetorix jumped well from his barrier of three and was up with the pace after the field had run 100M. However, the two strong frontrunners Snow Pilot and Montien took up the running into the bend. As they entered the straight Snow Pilot started fading and Montien was still galloping strongly at the field passed the 400M.

Oriental Charm’s was in third place as they came into the straight, with JP now becoming more urgent, but the usual surge at the 400M was not on display. He still finished a very commendable seventh, in a strong field of current and potential superstars in a race won by one of the rising superstars of Cape Racing, One Stripe.

The son of One World has now reeled off the Punters Cup/Cape Guineas/King’s Plate treble, a brilliant achievement for a three-year-old. Massive congratulations to Vaughan Marshall, Gavin Lerena, and owner Mr Sewgoolam on an incredible treble by their One World progeny.

Oriental Charm finishes seventh in the G1 King’s Plate to One Stripe

The winner of the Hollywoodbets Durban July has now had his first two runs back after his rest, the first being a win in the G2 Green Point Stakes and the second run being a seventh place in the G1 King’s Plate. The cobwebs have been blown away after those two runs, he will be having his third run after the rest, and Crawford Racing will have him 100% prepared for his ultimate goal of the Summer Season of Champions, the 2025 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met. 

 

One for the Notebook – Heal and Soul

 

Age:      3 (at last run)

Sex:      g

M/Rating:          (at last run)

Owner:               Mr P M Murugasa

Breeder:             Ridgemont Highlands

Trainer:               B/J Crawford

Breeding:           Rafeef (AUS) – Hope Solo by Silvano (GER)

 

Heal and Soul made his racecourse debut on the 22^nd of December at Kenilworth Racecourse. Running in a field of seventeen runners, he opened at 10/1 in the betting eventually drifting out to 25/1 at the jump. A beautiful looking son of Rafeef, he was sweating up a touch in the parade ring.

Being a first timer, you would expect him to be a tad green on his racecourse debut and being out the sire Rafeef needing a middle-distance race to be fully effective. However, none of that was on display on balmy Sunday afternoon. Under the expert guidance of the in-form Kabelo Matsunyane, he jumped well showing good gate speed and was up with the pace as the field raced towards the 800M.

Kabelo allowed him to stride and maintain his momentum, just keeping him balanced and as they approached the 400M. As they approached the 350M, Wave of Glory surged into a length and a half lead, but the Murugasa Family-owned colt was now in full cry in the middle of the course, reeling in the leader stride for stride as they approached the 100M mark.

He continued to gallop strongly all the way to the line, passing the Shane Humby trained colt as they entered the last 100M, and then surging away in the last 50M to win by more than a length. Considering it was his first run, a very hot day, and he was up with the pace all the way down the tough Kenilworth straight, his winning surge in the last 100M was very impressive.

 

Heal And Soul wins very well on Debut over the tough Kenilworth 1200M

 

In the post-race interview, both Brett and Kabelo believed that Heal and Soul will be at his best once he starts racing around the turn, and as he matures and gains more racing experience he will also continue to improve.

His first win was very impressive and as he builds on his debut run, the son of Rafeef should give Mr Murugasa and his family some wonderful days at the racecourse to look forward to. Pencil him into your black book, so that the next time he steps onto the track you will remember the name, Heal And Soul.