Crawford is confident of toasting third Met victory
POTENTIAL: WHISKY BARON IS UNBEATEN SINCE GELDING AND CAN IMPROVE EVEN FURTHER ʂ Previous wins were with Angus and Futura.
Ihave a confession to make this week. Last weekend’s unforgettable (for many reasons!) CTS sale at the Cape Town Convention offered me a chance to talk to the guy whose racing star is in the ascendancy – 45- year-old Brett Crawford.
Not only is he in third place in the national trainers log, will saddle the third favourite in Whisky Baron in Saturday’s Sun Met, but the likeable Harare-born guy suddenly finds himself the “flavour of the month” with local and overseas owners sending him horses.
In the final 20 lots to come under the hammer on Sunday evening, Brett signed the sales slip four times although he did also have time to crack open the biggest bottle of champagne I’d ever seen.
But getting Brett’s thoughts on Saturday’s Met was my major objective so - as Messrs O’Kelly, Miller and Burns did their bit on the rostrum - we settled in for a quick chat with my pen in hand.
Fast forward three hours later and the early hours of Sunday morning and those stalwarts who managed to stay the Black Label course were treated to a show not only by three lovely singers (a must for the Equus awards), but also the dancing happy gyrations of CTS chairman, Chris van Niekerk.
Chris was happy about a number of things over the recordbreaking sale without pointing out that - not for the first time in his career - a company with him at the helm has emerged as a powerhouse in the cut-throat bloodstock world.
What really pleased Chris was that 14 overseas buyers finally put their hands in their pockets. In previous years, they had gladly accepted free flights and hotels but very few made the buyers list.
I like to think that - despite advancing years - I can handle an after-party as well as anyone, but when the whistle finally went I found my catalogue - and Brett Crawford notes - had disappeared.
Still, my memory of our chat was still fresh in my mind and I hope I can relay his important points.
I remember the beginning as it was a question from Brett to me. “So, Molly, are you also in the camp of those who think Legal Eagle is invincible?”
“No,” I replied. “He’s a worthy favourite, but he got rolled in the Met 12 months ago and everyone knows there’s no certainties in racing.”
“Excellent, Molly. Then I don’t think, but I know, that I’m going to win my third Met.” His previous successes were with Angus and Futura.
Nothing wrong with being confident and he backed up his opinion. “OK, mine (Whisky Baron) might be eight points out with Legal Eagle, but I believe he’s the only horse in the race to have the potential to have improved eight points and lay it down to the favourite.”
“Whisky Baron hasn’t been beaten since he was gelded - he’s simply improved with every race. You get horses like that - they might not begin their careers good, but they keep stepping up. You ask them to go to the next level and they’re up to it.”
Brett is also more than happy that Greg Cheyne will be doing the steering on Saturday. “He’s flying at present - riding with such confidence he could win the championship.”
I interrupted that - in Gauteng - Messrs Andrew Fortune and Gavin Lerena will be doing their best to prevent that happening, and KZN-based Anthony Delpech will also have his supporters.
Irish-based owner, Diane Nagle, whose filly Cloth Of Cloud is a big runner on Saturday if she behaves herself, arrives for a word with Brett. At the same time, a CTS sales lady wants him to sign a slip for yet another yearling acquisition - this time a daughter of his former star, Jackson, knocked down to him for R2 million.
They go and I ask “what about Marinaresco?”
“I thought his Queen’s Plate run was below par, but I’m not discounting him because 10 furlongs (2000m) is going to be right down his street.”
The sales lady is back, for a signature for a Dynasty filly from Highlands which has cost just R300,000. I tease him: “You’d better check she’s got four legs.”
As the firm third favourite, there are quite a number of punters - including my journo buddy Charl Pretorius - sitting with 16-1 bets, but unfortunately I am going to have to take a short price if all this Crawford confidence gets into my head this week and sways my final choice. I was hoping that Justin or Jonathan Snaith might agree with my view that Baritone is the best outsider, but both looked at me as if I’d lost my marbles.
Final word from Brett. “Hey, Molly, if I win the Met for the third time - do I get to keep the trophy?”