Trainer Brett Crawford has had a very good year especially having won the Hollywoodbets Durban July for the first time among many Group 1 races so he must be excited about the future of improving Zoomie.
The Querari gelding took his time to get out of the maiden ranks but has improved nicely of late and is coming off two nice runner-up performances.
The step up in distance to 1400m and a recent gelding seems to have sharpened him up nicely. The handicapper has hit him with some severe penalties for his recent runs and as a result he comes into Race 7 at Fairview on Friday, the Listed Racing Owners Association Stakes, weighted to win – and easily so.
He goes 1600m for the first time and will travel from the Western Cape for this, but it will take a good one to beat him.
We have been waiting for some time to see Alan Greeff-trained Fairy Knight go this distance on the turf after flopping recently on the Polytrack and he does look the danger.
Dawn Of A New Era lost his way in Gauteng and the switch to the Eastern Cape has seen a revival of form for the six-year-old gelding. He indicated he still has more to offer when touched off by rival in Race 4, Global Ally, on the Polytrack. He is 0.5kg better off with that rival and he should at least be concerned with the finish again.
Jockey Muzi Yeni has been getting the best out of Dawn Of A New Era in his last four starts and will be eager to beat rival Richard Fourie who will be aboard Global Ally.
Earlier on in the card it might be worth a small each-way nibble on the Jacques Strydom-trained Euphoric.
The yard has been in very good form of late and Euphoric has hit a purple patch of form.
It is a tough race for Euphoric but he should acquit himself well.
Clive Robinson
