Only six runners are carded to go to post for Race 5 at Fairview on Friday, the Betway Craddock Place Stakes over 1000m on the turf track, but it probably contains the six best sprinters in the Eastern Cape.
However, heading up the field is Cruise Control, a winner of 12 of his 21 starts and the highest rated sprinter in the province.
Trainer Gavin Smith’s charge had a decent enough run when taken to KwaZulu-Natal for the season and came close in the Grade 1 Golden Horse Sprint over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville. He looked the likely winner with 150m to run but was swamped just short of the line. In the end he finished a very decent 0.40-length fourth behind Sean Tarry-trained star colt Lucky Lad.
That should be good enough to give show this field a clean pair of heels except for one factor. Cruise Control is far better performer over 1000m and 1100m.
He has won twice over 1200m, but both of those came on the Polytrack at Fairview. He has also won seven times on the turf at Fairview but those were over between 800m and 1100m. His three races over the course and distance have resulted in a second, a third and one unplaced performance.
Interestingly, two of the runners who defeated him are in this line-up and they are Cliff Top and Evie’s First. However, will Cruise Control, a gelded son of Querari, the other two have not displayed that level of form for quite a while. But they will be closing on him over the final 100m and it will all come down as to whether the five-year-old gelding can hold them off.
But there is another fact on his side and that is his jockey. Louie Mxothwa seems capable of coaxing something special out of Cruise Control as he is unbeaten in five starts on the East Cape star sprinter.
He will be fully tested on this occasion but as Cruise Control is at least 5kg better off at the weights with any of his opposition, he still has to be the one to beat.
The other threat could come from Justin Snaith-trained raider Speed Machine, who although run off his feet by Cruise Control over 1000m last time, will be one of those closing the gap over the final 200m.
Clive Robinson
