The Citizen (KZN)

Crawford saddles an Artiste

- Jack Milner

The focus of attention for South African racing is about to move specifical­ly to KwaZulu-Natal this weekend with the running of three key Grade 2 races at Hollywoodb­ets Greyville on Saturday.

However, there is an interestin­g card at Hollywoodb­ets Kenilworth tomorrow with an attractive nine-race card.

Trainer Brett Crawford looks to have some decent runners on the day, and he can kick off the meeting with a victory for Artiste in Race 1, a Maiden Juvenile Plate for fillies over 1200m.

This beautifull­y bred daughter by Canford Cliffs out of multiple Grade 1 winner Dancer's Daughter, looked impressive when she ran a three-length second behind Tanneron on debut and is expected to go one better this time.

Interestin­gly, though, while Louie Mxothwa rode her last time, Gareth Wright gets the ride this time while Mxothwa will be aboard Querari debutante Sweetsumme­rlove, so her chances have to be respected, especially if attracting market support.

However, in Computafor­m, Crawford states she will have a “Quartet chance if not green”.

Justin Snaith and Grant van Niekerk ought to find the winners' enclosure in Race 2 with Eight On Eighteen, and they could land a quick double with Charlotte Bronte in Race 3.

The former, a two-year-old Lancaster Bomber colt, caught the eye on debut when running on well from the rear of the field to finish second over 1200m. He would have come on appreciabl­y with the benefit of that experience and needn't improve a great deal to open his account.

Charlotte Bronte is also by Lancaster Bomber and is a halfsister to Charles Dickens. She improved for the step up in distance to 1400m in her last start to finish a close-up third and a repeat of that effort over the same course and distance will probably result in Snaith's charge shedding her maiden tag.

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