Turf Talk Newsletter – 7 August, 2025

Brett Crawford Has 23 Horses In Hong Kong

Brett Crawford at Sha Tin racecourse in Hong Kong (Picture: HKJC)

Brett Crawford has 23 horses in his Hong Kong stable to date, with the season set to commence at Sha Tin on Sunday September 7.

His horses range from the Irish-bred 90-rated six-year-old Irish-bred Churchill gelding Encountered down to a 28-rated two-time winner, although the second highest rated horse in his yard is only rated 69, so there is a big gap between the top one and the rest.

Encountered ran twice in England for Marco Botti and won the second of the starts, a Novice event for two-year-olds over seven furlongs at Doncaster under Danny Muscutt. He arrived in Hong Kong with a 67 rating in the 2021/2022 season and won his fourth start for trainer Manfred Man after being dropped to a 63 rating. In the 2022/2023 season he won four times at Happy Valley over 1650m and once at Sha Tin over 1600m, including a hattrick in his last three runs of the season. That saw him raised to a 105 rating and in his second start of the 2023/2024 season he finished second in a Gr 2 handicap over 1600m at Sha Tin. The smart gelding went up to 110 and won a Gr 3 handicap over 1800m next time out. He was raised to 114, but failed to progress further, finishing unplaced in six more starts that season. He was switched to the David Hall yard for the 2024/2025 season and managed two fourths and one fifth in ten starts. That has seen his rating plummet from 107 at the beginning of last season to his current 90. If anybody can get the six-year-old back to his best Brett Crawford can.

Crawford’s horses are Listed below in rating order (click on them to see their profiles).

Crawford’s profile on the HKJC website can be read below:

Brett Crawford
Age: 53
Background:
Born in Harare, Zimbabwe, Brett Crawford has trained in South Africa for many years, becoming an assistant trainer at age 17. Following experience with Eric Sands, Dennis Drier and Mike de Kock, Crawford became prominent owner Sabine Plattner’s private trainer in 2001 before taking out an open licence in 2010. Crawford’s first win was National Beaut – a winner over 1000m at Kenilworth in 2001. He has more than 1,400 races in South Africa, including the Durban July in 2023 (Winchester Mansion) and 2024 (Oriental Charm). He has also won the Cape Town Met three times – 2003 (Angus), 2015 (Futura) and 2017 (Whisky baron) – and trained top talents Captain America, Make It Snappy, Run Fox Run and Northern Superstar (Edict Of Nantes). In South Africa, Crawford struck up an association with Karis Teetan – winning a string of Group 1 races before Teetan’s departure for Hong Kong. In recent times, Crawford has trained in partnership with son James; the duo is based in the Western Cape and has a satellite stable in Johannesburg. Their first Group 1 together came in December, 2024, in the Cape Fillies Guineas with Fatal Flaw.

Achievements:
Six Group 1 wins in a single South African racing season (2016/17).

Notable Wins Include:
Empress Club Stakes (2025 Fatal Flaw), Durban July (2023 Winchester Mansion, 2024 Oriental Charm), Cape Town Met (2003 Angus, 2015 Futura, 2017 Whisky Baron), Queen’s Plate (2015 Futura), Cape Derby (2012 Jackson, 2017 Northern Superstar (Edict Of Nantes)), Cape Guineas (2013 Golden Sleep, 2019 Kilindini), Paddock Stakes (2012 Thunder Dance, 2023 Make It Snappy), Champions Cup (2013 Jackson, 2014 Futura, 2017 Sail South, 2018 Captain America, 2019 Gimme One Night), Cape Fillies Guineas (2018 Front And Centre, 2022 Make It Snappy, 2024 Fatal Flaw).

Race Coast Sales - New Name and Bold 2026 Plans

Race Coast chairman Greg Bortz (right) and Race Coast’s executive for racing and bloodstock, Justin Vermaak

Race Coast Sales Signals Growth with New Brand and Bold 2026 Plans

Race Coast Sales is proud to announce a new name, 2026 sales dates, and a new venue for its flagship sales raceday.

Cape Racing Sales will officially become Race Coast Sales, with the first RCS Two-Year-Old Sale under this new banner to be held on 25 October 2025 at Hollywoodbets Durbanville. This change aligns with the broader unification of Cape Racing and Gold Circle into one coastal racing entity — Race Coast — bringing together KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape under a single, streamlined brand.

Looking ahead to 2026, Race Coast Sales is pleased to announce two key dates for its upcoming sales:

March Yearling Sale: 13 & 14 March 2026 at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth
October Two-Year-Old Sale: 24 October 2026 at Hollywoodbets Durbanville

In addition, the highly anticipated Race Coast Sales Raceday — which was hosted to great success in Cape Town in March 2025 — will move to Hollywoodbets Greyville in KwaZulu-Natal for the 2026 edition. This strategic move enables easier participation for graduates from KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, and the Highveld, and better aligns with national seasonal planning.

Set for 12 April 2026, the Race Coast Sales Raceday will feature two blockbuster events:

Race Coast Sales Big Cap: 1400m | R5 million

Race Coast Sales Slipper: 1200m | R3 million

With massive prize money and broader national accessibility, the shift to Hollywoodbets Greyville promises even bigger fields, stronger competition, and another reason to buy a Race Coast Sales graduate.

The R1 million Three-Year-Old Sprint and R1 million Three-Year-Old Mile will be added to the race meeting in 2027.

For further information, please contact:

Justin Vermaak, Executive Racing and Bloodstock: justin@racecoast.co.za

Vicky Minott, Race Coast Sales Manager: vicky@racecoast.co.za

Laird And Houdalakis Score With Promising Three-year-olds

Chantilly Dream could be one to follow (JC Photos)

The Vaal had a low key meeting today, but two to take out of it were the Potala Palace three-year-old gelding Palace Attack and the Gimmethegreenlight three-year-old filly Chantilly Dream.

Palace Attack is a half-brother and stablemate to the Alec Laird-trained Gr 1-winning stalwart Fire Attack (Fire Away) and he is a good looking sort who was having his fourth start in a Maiden Plate over 1400m.

He broke well from a middle draw under Calvin Habib and was angled towards the outside, where the going tends to be better when the outside rail is at zero metres, and was in the leading line before slotting in behind Amandla Ngawethu, who led down the middle-outside. The latter shifted on to the outside rail and Habib stayed straight to hit the front at the 300m mark and the horse stayed on resolutely to beat the much improved Beach Walker by 0,70 lengths. The well-backed Vercingetorix first-timer Bellerophon, a half-brother to mutiple winners Solar Sail and Wings Within Me, was beaten three lengths into third.

Palace Attack, who is out of the Mambo In Seattle mare Bonnie Beers, is owned by the same partners who own Fire Attack, Messrs G C Cornwall, G A Basel, L Clark & Canine Solutions CC (Nom: Mr D C O’Driscoll), and whilst he is unlikely to be as good as the latter he should win more races.

In the next race, also over 1400m, Chantilly Dream had caught the eye on debut and was backed into 2/1 favourite. The Lucky Houdalakis-trained Dave Shawe-owned Gimmethegreenlight filly sat behind the leader on the outside rail before Craig Zackey asked the question and she had assumed command by the 500m mark. She went on to win by 2,60 lengths in a time of 84 seconds flat, which was 0,74 seconds slower than Palace Attack’s time. She should pay to follow.

Top Riders Look For Early Edge In Jockey Championship

Picture: Muzi Yeni

Craig Zackey and Muzi Yeni are still flying hither and thither.

Mike Moon (The Citizen)

With the leading duo in last season’s jockey championship – Gavin Lerena and Richard Fourie – taking a well-earned break from the saddle and a hectic travelling schedule, some of the other top-flight riders in the country will seek to cash in.

Indeed, the likes of Sean Veale, S’Manga Khumalo, Muzi Yeni, Luy Mxothwa and Serino Moodley – all conceivably champion contenders – will be keen to get a handy bunch of wins in the locker while the season is still young.

Of course, there’s a long way to go, but the title will be in the back of minds and is something to bear in mind as we negotiate the dog days of late winter racing.

Craig Zackey, third in the 2024/25 chase, was prevented from joining the dash to the finishing line by an untimely suspension in the last month of the term.

Returning refreshed from that break, he has picked up the furious pace of the last campaign and will have high expectations of a winner or 12 as he travels around the country in the next few weeks.

Today (Thursday) Zackey scored on the Lucky Houdalakis-trained Chantilly Lace.

At Turffontein on Saturday, Zackey again has early prospects with the same yard, on Midnight Flyer in the opener and Quiet Winter in the next. But his best chance comes in the seventh on Pressonregardless, an honest sort who looks primed to win for Fabian Habib.

Yeni’s fierce championship ambitions remain undimmed by years of disappointment and he, too, is putting in flight miles before the season is out of nappies.

Yeni had a blank today, but most of his rides at Fairview on Friday carry some sort of chance, while Gamer, for St John Gray at Turffontein on Saturday looks backable.

A busy weekend concludes for Yeni in Cape Town on Sunday, with Justin Snaith’s Wish List in Race 8 likely to pay for his return ticket.

Serino Moodley is on top of the national log at present with six wins, while Chad Little has five and Craig Zackey and S’Manga Khumalo have four, one ahead of all of Muzi Yeni, Tristan Godden, Sean Veale, Luyolo Mxothwa and Gavin Lerena, who are all on three.

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Lammerskraal And Camargue Off To Early Foaling Seasons

The above Thunderstruck foal was pictured at Lammerskraal Stud on August 2, so must have been a very early foal (via meta)

Lammerskraal Stud in the Western Cape and Camargue Stud in the KZN Midlands are two farms who have already welcomed their first foals of the season.

The first foal at Lammerskraal was a filly by Thunderstruck out of the 2020-born Gimmethegreenlight mare Gimmethewaltz, who won third time out as a juvenile for Candice Bass-Robinson, but that proved to be her last win.

Rafeef stallion Thunderstruck won the Gr 1 Computaform Sprint last year and this filly could well have been his first foal.

The above foal was the first born at Camargue Stud.

She is by Querari out of a Master Of My Fate mare.

Dowser Looks Set For Another Win

Dowser has been tipped to win the seventh (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Formguides and Selections for Friday’s Fairview Poly Meeting

Race Coast

R1 (3) GLOBAL DRUMBEAT has been racing consistently, his last run was decent, so he will be a factor here stepping up in trip. (2) PROLIFIC STAR ran in front of the top selection in his last start so there won’t be much to choose, he should go very close in this contest. His last run was good and goes back over this extended trip of 1900m now. (1) BRIGHAM has been racing well and is another with a big chance. He makes his provincial debut and must be respected. (4) SEMPRE BELLA ran a much improved race when going over 2000m and can continue to build on that run. (Devonne Govender 3-2-1-4)

R2 (1) PIBE DE ORO hasn’t been far recently and rates a winning chance. (4) STAND UP ran well in the last start and will be in the firing line. (3) CLIFFIE CLAVIN placed at big odds and is capable of making his presence felt if repeating that run. (7) GREY WARRIOR has scope to improve and isn’t completely out of this contest. Watch the betting for any support on Glimmer Of Light when making you final decision in this open looking race. (Devonne Govender 1-4-3-7)

R3 (6) BUDDLEJA ran a cracker in the last start and will be the firm first selection. (1) DESERT CLOUD is always in the mix, she represents Highveld form which generally stands up strong in the province hence she will have every chance in this line up however does have a tough draw. (2) MIDNIGHT MUSIC is holding form as she has never been far back recently, on best form she can make the frame. (4) PENNY’S WORLD is capable of getting into the quartets so include in larger perms. (Devonne Govender 6-1-2-4)

R4 (1) INDEBE MAYIBUYE is holding consistent form and will be tough to beat here. (5) SWISS WALT won extremely well in the last and will be a strong contender once again, he will be the main danger to the top selection. (8) LARIUS LACUS has scope to go well with the claimer up however it’s never easy out the maidens. (2) KINGS AGAIN represents Highveld form and is very capable of getting involved and must be respected. (Devonne Govender 1-5-8-2).

R5 (7) BONJOUR LA VILLE won extremely well in the last start, she only has 56kgs to shoulder and looks a serious contender. (3) ARTICUNO is capable of much better so that last run is best ignored. (9) ENCHANTING LADY is always in the mix and she is very capable of winning this so must be respected. (11) HER ROYALTY gets the claimer up and can run into the money so can go into larger perms. (Devonne Govender 7-3-9-11)

R6 (11) ARIVIDICIO is holding decent enough form to be very competitive in this line up. He has run some cracking races on the poly so will be the firm first selection. (7) THUNDER MASTER ran well in the last start and needs to repeat that performance to feature here, a must include in all bets. He steps up in trip to 1600m now compared to recent runs however does get the claimer up, he can produce a big finish on his day so could represent value. (5) A BIT CHILLY ran a cracker at big odds in the last start, Calvin Habib retains the ride and a huge performance can be expected. (3) KINGDOM OF HEAVEN finished 3rd in his last start which was a decent performance, with Yeni in the saddle he cannot be discounted. (Devonne Govender 11-7-5-3).

R7 (4) DOWSER has been dropping in the ratings, he has been holding solid form and rates a strong winning chance. (5) WAZ WOUTER is in top form, another huge performance can be expected. (1) MASTER FORESTER is very capable on his day, he hasn’t been far in recent starts. If he brings his ‘A’ game he will blow this field away. (10) FLOWER FESTIVAL has been consistent and run into the placings. (Devonne Govender 4-5-1-10).

R8 (3) WORDSWORTH has been racing consistently will be the top selection. He is as honest as the day is long and a bold showing is expected. (12) KING RAHUL has been threatening to win in recent starts and with some luck in running he will be in the mix so respect. (4) GUARDING THE WALL hasn’t been far in recent starts and cannot be ignored in this line, he can win this on best form. (5) LUCKY SPIRIT placed at huge odds in the last start and can make the frame again so include. (Devonne Govender 3-12-4-5)

Investigation Into Redwood Queen Unseat Nearing A Conclusion

Picture: Phillip Byrnes falls off Redwood Queen when leading at the last (Racingtv – Healy Racing)

Johnny Ward (Racingtv.com)

The two-month investigation into Philip Byrnes’ unseat from Redwood Queen is nearing a conclusion, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Body said on Tuesday.
Byrnes parted company with the mare, who was a notable market drifter, at the last flight of a claiming race at Wexford on May 28, handing victory to odds-on favourite and well-backed Beacon Edge.

Many were of the opinion that the jockey deliberately jumped off, although he was defended by others, one of whom said the horse’s back came up as Byrnes backside went down and he was consequently knocked upward and out of the stirrups.

Charles Byrnes, father of the jockey and trainer of the mare at the time, subsequently said that neither had anything to answer for and blamed the IHRB’s investigation on the authorities feeling the need to “please these faceless people on social media”.

When contacted on Tuesday, an IHRB spokesman said: “We can confirm that the investigation into the circumstances surrounding Redwood Queen’s unseat at Wexford is with our Racing Regulation and Integrity department and is nearing a conclusion.
“The IHRB is committed to ensuring the matter is concluded in a timely and thorough manner, with regard to due process and fair procedures.”

Philip Byrnes has not spoken to the media about the unseat since the incident.

Although the raceday stewards took no action against the jockey, an IHRB spokesperson said the following morning: “We note the position of the raceday stewards following their review of the incident. We can now confirm the matter is down for review by an IHRB senior racing official.”

The Wexford stewards’ report said: “The raceday stewards reviewed the unseating of Philip Byrnes, rider of Redwood Queen, at the last hurdle when leading. Having viewed the recording of the race and considered the matter, the raceday stewards took no further action.”

When queried afterwards as to what the investigation would entail, given the lack of precedence for such a case, the IHRB spokesman said: “When conducting any review or investigation, an IHRB Senior Racing Official collaborates with and has the full support of IHRB colleagues across all departments and, depending on the nature of the matter, may also engage with external service providers or stakeholders as appropriate.”

Redwood Queen is due to have her first run since at Galway on Wednesday, for trainer Cian Collins.