Brett Crawford’s impressive first season in Hong Kong rolled on at Happy Valley last night when Beauty Missile landed the opening race, a Class 5 victory that again underlined the South African’s ability to revive stalled careers.
The win was particularly significant given Beauty Missile races for the Kwok family, led by patriarch Simon Kwok Siu-ming, Hong Kong’s most powerful ownership group. While Crawford does not want to be known as the “king of Class 5” forever, he admitted he was content to take the label for now after delivering another transfer turnaround.
Beauty Missile’s path to the basement of the ratings had been a long one. Purchased out of Australia by the Kwoks after finishing runner-up in a Listed two-year-old race, the gelding arrived in Hong Kong rated 73. After 24 winless starts under former trainer Frankie Lor Fu-chuen, his mark had plummeted to 42 by the time he arrived with Crawford - and to 34 before last night’s race.
Crawford inherited the six-year-old earlier this season and resisted the temptation to force immediate results. After five runs in his care, the trainer identified an 1800-metre Class 5 as the right race to test the horse’s stamina – a move that paid off.
“He actually works better in the mornings than what he’s been showing on race day,” Crawford said. “I thought today would be a good confidence builder because I certainly think he’s better than Class 5.”
From a wide draw, jockey Hugh Bowman was caught three deep and abandoned plans to ride Beauty Missile quietly, instead pushing forward and committing early. The gelding started a $4.80 second favourite after heavy support late lit the ‘brown lamp’ that signifies a more than 50 per cent drop in price.
“I thought it was a gutsy win,” Crawford said. “Nothing went his way. He got caught deep and Hugh had to make a call. It was a very good ride.”
Beauty Missile responded by showing previously untapped stamina, outstaying Romantic Fantasy and race favourite Storm Runner in a grinding finish. The win was Crawford’s fifth in Class 5 and his 10th overall for the season, maintaining a strike rate above 11 per cent – fourth best of all trainers.
