Trainer Brett Crawford has enjoyed a fruitful 2022/23 season, which has brought Grade 1 wins in both the Cape Gillies Guineas and Paddock Stakes with Make It Snappy as well as Hollywoodbets Durban July glory with Winchester Mansion.
And with his stable in good form, he is likely to sign off this campaign with several winners on the 10-race card at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday 29 July.
Crawford saddles a strong coupling in the day’s most valuable contest (Race 8), a Pinnacle Stakes over 1800m, with both runners expected to play leading roles in the outcome.
However, it could pay to follow the progress of last-start winner Solar Power in his first go at the distance.
This son of Dynasty has seemingly benefitted from being gelded and his form has also improved with the addition of a tongue-tie. This has resulted in two victories, two thirds and a second in his last six starts.
And after a few fast-finishing narrow defeats over 1400m and 1600m, Solar Power relished the step up in trip to 1950m last month when edging out stablemate The Futurist, who renews rivalry on 1.5kg better terms.
The drop to 1800m coupled with the switch to Durbanville’s country course is unlikely to trouble the four-year-old gelding who is good value in a competitive contest to defy a six-point penalty and the weight turnaround to follow up under stable jockey and regular pilot Louie Mxothwa.
With rain forecast in Cape Town on Friday and again Saturday, supporters of Crawford’s charge need not be deterred.
Solar Power’s last-start success was in heavy going and his record on rain-affected ground (two wins and a place from four starts) only serves to strengthen his claims for a successive race wins.
The Crawford-Mxothwa trainer-jockey combination is also worth siding with in Race 5 over 1600m, as Metar ought to confirm the form of her last start by finishing ahead of re-opposing rivals Island Treasure, Philosophise and Symphony Of Light.
Crawford’s charge had that trio comfortably behind her when finishing second in a similar contest earlier this month and, even with an extra 1kg on her back, there’s little reason to suggest the tables will be turned.
Durban July winning rider Kabelo Matsunyane teams up with Crawford in Race 10 aboard Dynasty filly Allende, who could be worth a bet at generous each-way odds.
Clive Robinson
