Oriental Charm – Hollywoodbets Durban July Winner

In 2023, Brett and James Crawford sat down and mapped out the route for Winchester Mansion to firstly gain acceptance into the 2023 Hollywoodbets Durban July, and if the preparation went as planned, to run a big race in said race. They therefore decided that Winchester Mansion’s route to the July would be to run him in the World Sports Betting 1900, then into the Dolphins Cup Trial and then into the Hollywoodbets Durban July if he runs well in the first two races.

Winchester Mansion duly ran second in the Grade 2 WSB 1900, and then won the Grade 3 Dolphins carryings weights of 52kg in the former, and 55.5kg in the latter race. He therefore qualified for the Hollywoodbets Durban July of 2023, carrying a handy galloping weight of 53kg. In a sterling duel down the Greyville stretch with See It Again, The Drakenstein Stud owned Winchester Mansion, under a very polished and forceful ride by Kabelo Matsunyane, gained the upper hand in the last 100 metres to win the race that was the pinnacle of the Natal Champions Season

Fast forward one year, and Brett and James were plotting again, but this time with the precocious three-year-old colt Oriental Charm. His run in the Cape Splashout Derby announced himself as a contender for the Hollywoodbets Durban July when he ran three lengths off the then current favourite Green With Envy. In his previous run he finished just over five lengths behind the same horse receiving six kilograms from Green With Envy, but in the Derby, he was just over three lengths behind, at level weights.

So where to from here for the Messrs Greg Bortz & Leon Ellman & Ms Gina Goldsmith three year old colt. They decided to take the tried and tested route of the Grade 2 WSB Greyville 1900 and Grade 3 Dolphins Cup Trial. It worked well for Winchester Mansion, and although a year younger than Winchester Mansion, they decided to take the same route into the July. In the World Sports Betting 1900 (Grade 2), at Greyville Racecourse, Oriental Charm jumped well, with his jockey JP Van Der Merwe setting his own fractions. He continued galloping relentlessly
into the straight, only being caught in the shadow of the post by Future Swing.

His next run was arguably his best leading into the Durban July of 2024, in the Hollywoodbets Dolphins Cup Trial. Giving weight to the entire field as the highest merit rated horse in the field, and jumping from a ten draw, he took up the running soon after the start. Under a perfectly judges ride from JP V’D Merwe, he continued finding all the way down the lane, hitting the line in workmanlike fashion to win by over a length.

Oriental Charm had therefore taken the same route into the Durban July, and has run in the same position in these two races as did Winchester Mansion the previous year. With Oriental Charm drawn eleven in the big one, gate speed would be important for him to jump and move to the head of the field, This JP did brilliantly, having him in front and striding 400M after the jump. Interestingly, JP did not move onto the rail, allowing Oriental Charm to stride, but maintaining a one-horse width off the rail as they rounded the home turn.

He continued to gallop as they came down the straight, with Flag Man now taking up the running marginally at the 400m mark. However, Oriental Charm still had running in him, coming back at Flag Man over the last 200M, and then having to withstand the late challenge of Cousin Casey who was flying down the inside rail. Despite drifting towards that inside rail under pressure and coming across See It Again (JP received a 16-day suspension for that transgression) he kept the son of Vercingetorix nose ahead brilliantly at the line to make it backtoback victories for Crawfordracing in one of the biggest races on the African continent.

Some might say lucky, some might say coincidence, most will say simplistic in its brilliance. Youplot a strategy for a horse to win the Hollywoodbets Durban July in 2023. The horse wins the race, and you decide to do the same in 2024for a different horse. That horse wins and gives you back-to-back wins. Now the only decision the stable has to make is, can it be done three years in succession?

Only time will tell.

Ride of the Month – Grade 1 for the Viljoens & Louis

Surjay
Age: 5 (at last run)
Sex: g
M/Rating: 119 (at last run)
Owner: Mrs S Viljoen
Breeder: Estate Late Dr R J Antrobus
Breeding: Vercingetorix – Something Of Value by Badger Land (USA)

Surjay is a warrior. The five-year-old gelding, who was having his 26th run in the Grade One Mercury Sprint on Gold Cup Day at Greyville, was primed and ready to give his all to give Louis Mxothwa his first Grade 1 victory for the season.

The 1200M is his absolute forte, having only run out of the first three twice in the nine attempts he has run over the distance. He finished third in the 2023 edition of the Mercury Sprint at Greyville to the exceptionally talented globetrotter Isivunguvungu. In that race, run almost a year to the day of this year’s Merchants, Surjay, Isivunguvungu and the highly rated Thunderstruck engaged in a titantic struggle down the Greyville straight with short heads separating them at the line.

Fast forward to current, and Surjay was again lining up in the 2024 running of the self-same Mercury Sprint, over the tight 1200M of the Greyville racecourse. He would be jumping from the very favourable barrier of two, had the natural gate speed to get himself well positioned on the speed where he prefers to race and had the expertise of Louis Mxothwa to guide him around the Greyville circuit. He would be having his third run after the rest and 10/1 seemed very generous odds for a horse that had many factors in his favour.

As they jumped the gate speed from Surjay was good, with Louis positioning him one off the rail (interestingly the same position that Oriental Charm took around the bend in the Durban  July) and allowing him to relax into the race as they negotiated the Greyville turn. Cruise Control had pinged the gated from a wide draw, taking up the running after 100M.

As they entered the straight, Cruise Control was in front with Quasiforsure just on his
hindquarters, and Surjay just waiting in the slipstream of Quasiforsure. At the entrance to the straight Louis angled out to the centre of the racetrack, making his run as they approached the 300M mark.

Surjay displayed all the grit and determination as he responded to the urgings from saddle, drawing to a one length lead as the field approached the 100M mark. Lucky Lad, who had drawn wide and was settled towards the back of the field, was making up ground rapidly down the wide outside of the straight under Richard Fourie, but could not make up the ground quickly enough, with Surjay hitting the winning line just under a length ahead of the Sean Tarry trained favourite.

It was a brilliant ride by Louis, tracking the pace one horse wide around the turn and then making his run down the centre of the racetrack which allowed Surjay to surge, peg back the frontrunners and get first run on the favourite. It was a sweet victory for the five-year-old, as well as his owners Suzette and Basie Viljoen who have set up shop at the Hopes and Dreams Stud in Wellington in the Western Cape.

When Surjay eventually does hang up his proverbial hooves, he will no doubt join the Equus superstar Captain’s Ransom at the Viljoen’s Stud to live out the rest of his days in the dreamy Winelands. He will so deserve it.

Crawford Racing ends KwaZulu Natal Season on a High

The final month of Champions Season in KwaZulu-Natal was an exceptionally good one for Crawford Racing. Across the two racemeetings that encompass the end of Champions Season, in the Hollywoodbets Durban July Day, and World Pool Gold Cup Day, only two stables won two Grade One Races on those two days.

The powerful, globetrotting Mike De Kock stable saddled the winner of the Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes with Humdinger on Durban July Day, and on Gold Cup Day, they won the HKJC Champions Cup with Dave the King. The other stable that won two Grade One’s was Crawford Racing. They won the Durban July with Oriental Charm and followed that up on Gold Cup Day, winning the Mercury Sprint with Surjay.

Durban July Day

However, across those two days, Crawford Racing had many horses placed in multiple Graded Races. On Durban July Day, In the Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper, a Grade 2 for two-year-old fillies, Fatal Flaw ran a courageous second to the best two-year-old filly in South Africa, Quid Pro Quo.

In the Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes, a Grade One race run just after Oriental Charm had won the Durban July, Happy Chance (pictured below) ran a brilliant race at big odds, running second to the De Kock trained Humdinger, and beating the favourite Double Grand Slam by over a length.

In the next race, the Grade Two Post Merchants, At My Command ran on strongly down the Greyville straight from almost last place and from a thirteen draw to run down the entire field bar the Lucinda Woodruff trained Café Culture which was given a good ride by Richard Fourie from the plum draw of one.

World Pool Gold Cup Day

On world Pool Gold Cup Day, Fatal Flaw was again the bridesmaid to Quid Pro Quo in the Grade 1 Douglas Whyte Stakes. However, this time the Baren Botes trained filly was made to work a little harder before pulling clear in the closing stages to finish just under 1.5 lengths ahead of the Crawford Racing filly, but she was in turn over three lengths ahead of the remainder of the field.

Crawford Racing certainly finished the Champions Season, and the end of the 2023/2024 horseracing season in style. Winning two Grade Ones in July with Oriental Charm and Surjay, coupled to Fatal Flaw running second twice, Happy Chance running second in a Grade One and At My Command finishing second in a Grade 2, all culminated in the stable finishing the season
in a flourish.

A wonderful team effort from Brett and James, coupled to the jockeys, assistant trainers, and the hard-working grooms they employ to guide their horses around the racecourses of South Africa.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the incredible owners putting their hard earned Rands into the Sport of Kings. The stable will not be resting on their laurels though, as they will be hard at work plotting the way forward to try and make the new season and even more successful and enjoyable one for their patrons and their stable

One for the Black Book – Spoil Yourself by Futura

SPOIL YOURSELF
Age: 3 (at last run)
Sex: f
Owner: Messrs M J Campbell, W D Jackson, L M Leathem, R H Mordt & C C
Valjalo
Breeder: Hemel ‘N Aarde Stud
Breeding: Futura – Winter Retreat by What A Winter
Colours: Red, black spots, white sleeves, black cap

At the National Yearling Sale of 2023 such an opportunity might have presented itself to owners Messrs M J Campbell, W D Jackson, L M Leathem, R H Mordt & C C Valjalo. They purchased a R300k filly, Spoil Yourself, bred by Hemel ‘N Aarde Stud in Hermanus and sired by former Crawfordracing superstar Futura out of a What A Winter mare.

Being out of Futura, you would not expect sprinting to be her forte, and thus her debut was seemingly inconspicuous. She lost a couple of lengths as the starter hit the lever and was languishing in last place as they ran through the halfway mark over the 1200M at Kenilworth Racecourse.

As they passed through the halfway mark, her jockey, Louis Mxothwa slowly started
pushing her along and she made up good ground to finish 9th, but only 5.7 lengths off the eventual winner Polynomial.

Her next run was brilliant. When it is your second career run, in the soft, drawn 10 around  the tight Durbanville circuit, you have many factors against you. Although she did not jump slow this time, she still had to slot in at the back of the field from the wide draw.

She rounded the turn fifth from last but still seemed to be going well within herself.
She slowly started picking up as the field approached the 400m but was still well off the pace. However, she was starting to gain momentum as Louis started getting a little more urgent and lower in the saddle. As they passed the 200M she was the filly with all the momentum, and she passed the horses on her inside with relative ease with Louis just tapping her down her shoulder.

As Louis said in the interview, she has a wonderful temperament, and Brett said she still has some maturing to do within herself, so winning second time out under mild urging and with many factors against her, puts her right in contention to possibly go through the divisions as she matures.

Owners Messrs M J Campbell, W D Jackson, L M Leathem, R H Mordt & C C Valjalo might have a very good filly in their ownership, and as she matures and steps up in distance, we could see a filly who will give her owners plenty of very good days at the races.