Brett Crawford brought major-race credentials from South Africa to Hong Kong and has already shown he can get more out of the horses he inherited. Keeping that momentum going as new, unraced acquisitions come through is the next challenge.
The winners have slowed for the South African in his first season, but he has plenty of chances to change that at Sha Tin on Sunday when he saddles 10 runners on the 11-race card.
Crawford’s team ranges from exposed handicappers to Private Purchases still early in their Hong Kong campaigns – as well as two newcomers making their local debuts.
Crawford sits 18th on the trainers’ table with 20 wins, achieved through 15 individual winners. Fourteen of those winners have come from horses transferred from other stables, but as his first campaign draws to a close, Crawford said the focus is starting to shift toward the unraced half of his team.
“It becomes quite tough from now. The winners have slowed down a little, but I suppose that is to be expected,” Crawford told The Standard. “But close to 50 percent of the string are horses that are still to get to the races, so that’s a positive for next season.
“If we could bag a few more winners before the end of the season, I’d be happy.”
The Unique Star fits the Private Purchase profile. The four-year-old Australian import has his fifth Hong Kong start in the Class 3 Siu Ma Shan Handicap over 1,400 meters in Race 10, stepping beyond 1,200 meters for the first time since arriving in the city.
“He’s in really good form and he’s improved a lot,” Crawford said. “I think he’s been looking for the trip, so I’m confident he’ll be fine over the seven furlongs.
“He’s just taken a bit of time to settle in. His coat wasn’t great through winter, but it’s coming good now, so I think he’s definitely back on track, and it was a good trial last week.”
In the opening race, All Are Mine will jump from barrier four in the Class 5 Buffalo Hill Handicap (1,800m), giving Crawford a better chance to draw a first win from the seven-year-old.
All Are Mine has placed three times in six starts since joining the stable this season and had not drawn lower than barrier eight for Crawford before Sunday. Zac Purton stays aboard after riding him to a half-length third over 1,800m on the all-weather last start.
“These types of horses need all the help they can get, so hopefully things will set up nicely for him,” Crawford said. “He’s been running well, he’s in good form, so hopefully he’ll have his day.”
Crawford also unveils two newcomers, three-year-old Private Purchase Griffin Hero Rising and four-year-old Private Purchase Glorious Dynasty, although he expects both to improve with experience.
Silver Up gives Crawford another project in the Class 4 Lung Fu Shan Handicap (1,400m) in Race 9.
The six-year-old is now with his fifth trainer after Cody Mo Wai-kit, Danny Shum Chap-shing, Mark Newnham and Michael Chang Chun-wai all had their go. He is still chasing his first Hong Kong win after 20 starts, but Crawford sees a workable profile after the gelding dropped from a mark of 65 to 41.
“He’s done well. He’s in good form at the moment, and I thought each trial, he’s trialed better and better,” Crawford said. “I think he’s fit enough, and we expect him to run a good race.”
Looking ahead, Crawford hopes to have his stable acquisition, the 118-rated Galaxy Patch, ready for the Group 3 Premier Cup (1,400m) at the end of June.
“At the moment, we’re just settling him in and learning a bit about him,” Crawford said. “But the plan would be to try and get him ready for the end of June. I’ll probably just trial him once, and if everything is on schedule, that will be sometime in June.”
Crawford has also mapped out late-June options for exciting three-year-old Mr Incredible.
“There are two options. There’s a six-furlong race and a seven-furlong race, so that’s what we’re planning for.”
