STUART Crawford has some above average performers to go to war with this season and while the talented mare Twentytwo’s Taken suffered defeat at Navan last Sunday, she along with the likes of Gilt Shadow and Fine Rightly should ensure that his horses will be competitive in graded races this season.
He has an army of unraced/unnamed horses and he stated: “We have some lovely young horses here and we’d have around 15/20 three-year-olds that we are just feeling our way with. They are all National Hunt-bred horses that we are in no rush with. They will go the bumper or point-to-point route next year.
“We have some great owners and some have been with us from the start. We try to buy well, but at the same time, we sell a few as well and they have gone on and won races for their new owners and trainers.”
He added: “I think that is important as you then have a chance of some repeat business and at the end of the day, we are running a business here. While it might be hard to let a good horse go, you have to move a few on every year as you won’t make money in this game from just training horses.
“We are always looking for better horses and if you are doing that, you will end up with more horses anyway, so we are very happy where we are at the minute.”
ARDMILLAN
6yo b g ( P4/P1-P870)
Golan - Black Gayle
Ms Elizabeth Hamilton
He won his point-to-point but he has been a bit disappointing on the track. He’ll run away and he seems to handle most types of ground and hopefully he’ll find his own level in handicaps. He jumps well but he was very novicey at Down Royal. He has just taken a bit of time and it might be this time next year before we see the best of him.
BABY BACH
4yo b g (55-P1)
Bach - Anns Island
Mr Ross Crawford
He has had a few runs in point-to-points. He was a big backward horse but the form of his runs have worked out really well. On his penultimate start, he was fifth, and the horses that were second and third were bought by Willie Mullins and they have both won their bumpers. He won his point a few weeks ago and I’d imagine he will go for a bumper before we send him over hurdles. He jumps well.
BACKINTHESADDLE
6yo ch g (-2)
Rudimentary - Grangeclare Lodge
Mr Martin McGrogan & Mr Raymond Scullion
He was second in a bumper during the summer but we might try and go for a point-to-point before we send him over fences. He should be able to win his point-to-point and he is a horse that we like and he has only had the one run, so there should be more to come from him.
CARNDUFF
5yo b g (2-)
Heron Island - Ellens Perk
Mr Simon Munir & Mr Isaac Souede
He was narrowly touched off in a bumper last year and we sold him after that. He has had a few little setbacks but thankfully his new owners stuck with him and he is not too far off a run. He will start off in a bumper and he should pick one up before we send him over hurdles. He was a horse that we were pretty excited about last year and hopefully his little problems are behind him.
CEITHRE DELTA
9yo b m (P462/2/)
Samraan - Wissey
Ms Patricia Duffin
She was placed in a couple of point-to-points, but she had a touch of a leg and needed some time off. She will go novice chasing and she is very lightly-raced. She should be competitive in mares’ chases in the north of England. She jumps well and she should have a day on the track.
CHITU
4yo b g (-7)
Desert King - Polly’s Joy
Mr Graeme Slesser
He was a wee bit disappointing on the day when he ran in a bumper at Sedgefield. The ground was a bit soft for him and the track may not have been ideal. We think a little bit of him so we’ll try him in another bumper before he goes over hurdles.
DANIELLE’S JOURNEY
4yo b f (-2)
Presenting - Harringay
Realta Horse Racing Club
She was second at Down Royal on her debut. She was very green and she should make amends possibly at Fairyhouse at the weekend. I hope she can win a bumper before she goes over hurdles.
DR MOLONEY
7yo b g (9/52F64/7-136)
Dr Massini - Solal Queen
Mr Geoff Ramsey
He won for us at Perth during the summer and he wants good ground so he is on a bit of a break at the minute. He will start off next year and he will be fine on the drier ground in the spring. We like the way he goes and you can put a line through his last run as he wasn’t right. He will jump a fence as well.
FIFTYSHORTSHIROCCO
4yo b g (P-)
Shirocco - Urbanize
Mrs F. Cumiskey
He is a nice horse that will go for a bumper or a point-to-point around Christmas time. He goes well and he has plenty done. He should be competitive in a bumper and he was very big and backward when he ran in a point i spr.
FINE RIGHTLY
6yo b g (123/11215-)
Alflora - Bealtaine
Ms Patricia Duffin
He is a smart horse and he will start off in a beginners chase this side of Christmas. He comes from a good family and we think he has a lot of potential. He was rated 134 over hurdles and he may not have been 100% the last day at Ayr. He stays well but we might start him off around two miles as he can be keen. He is a proper winter-type horse and when you ride him on that ground, he makes heavy ground not feel like heavy ground.
GILT SHADOW
6yo b g (142/183-)
Beneficial - Baile An Droichid
Mr Gordon Roberts
All being well, he will be ready to run around Christmas time. He missed Cheltenham as he picked up a minor injury and we gave him a bit of time off. He had a good break. We would like to go chasing with him, but he might start back over hurdles. He and Fine Rightly stand out as being proper chasers and the best is yet to come from them. The form of his races couldn’t be working out any better and he has already schooled over fences. Assuming he goes chasing, I hope that he will develop into a horse for some of the better novice chases next spring.
GLENQUEST
11yo b g (5264452-FP21)
Turtle Island - Solar Quest
Coolglen Syndicate
He came to us as his owner felt that there might be more opportunities for him in the north of England. All his best form is over further but he did it well when he won over two miles over hurdles at Navan. We might keep him hurdling for the time being, but long term there are some nice staying races for him at the likes of Carlisle and Ayr that should suit him. He is a lovely horse though and he is in the Welsh National but he probably won’t get into that. We would like to aim him at a decent pot somewhere along the line. He loves testing ground.
GOBBINS PATH
5yo br g (P-)
Milan - Solar Quest
S.R.B. Crawford
He is a half-brother to Glenquest and that is how Glenquest came to me. He is a slow maturing type that might go point-to-pointing around Christmas time.
GROUND INVASION
5yo b g (/36711221-118)
Arcadio - Wayward Star
Liquid Lunch Syndicate
He did well for us winning a couple of bumpers. He had a busy spring and he had a good break but he would prefer better ground. He will kick on over hurdles there in the spring and he does jump well and he should pay his way well on the better ground next year.
IM TOO GENEROUS
4yo ch g (2521)
Generous - Simething Major
Mr Seamus McAlister
He was bought at Brightwells and the ground was gone for him and he didn’t operate around Downpatrick when he made his debut for us. After that he ran a real good second at Musselburgh and the first three were well clear of the rest. He won a bumper there yesterday and goes over hurdles. He is a nice horse.
INDY ISLAND
4yo gr g
Indian Danehill - Another Sparkle
Mrs Elizabeth Gilmore
She is a nice mare with a good page and she will start off in a point-to-point at Tattersalls in a couple of weeks’ time. We like her and we’ll see how she gets on but I would like to think that she could be a nice mare in time.
KNOCKLAYDE SNO CAT
5yo b m (035)
King’s Theatre - Sno-Cat Lady
Mr Colm McHenry
We thought she’d run better at Wexford, but she ran a promising race over hurdles the last day at Ayr. She finished forth at Musselburgh yesterday. She is small but I think she is well up to winning a maiden hurdle. She is a full-sister to Sizing Machine.
IZZINI
6yo b m (111/0-1F7)
Dr Massini - Cistercian
Brann/Cuming/Gabbett Partnership
She is a very good mare. She was below par the last day at Down Royal and I felt going there that she would run a lot better but she is back going fine again now and we will get her started in the next week or two. I would love to get her blacktype. We took her to Cheltenham and things didn’t work out on the day but there is more to come from her and she is a mare with plenty of ability.
LEGACY PHOENIX
5yo b m (-2)
Darsi - Durgam’s Delight
Mr Chris Johnson
She jumps well and down the road, I’d like to think that she can build on her first run this week when she was second in a bumper at Sedgefield. She is a nice mare and she should improve for that experience. She is a half-sister to Legacy Gold who won three bumpers for us before moving to David Pipe’s, where she won three times over hurdles.
LUCKY BUTTONS
6yo b m (-595)
Winged Love - Cute N’ Shy
Mrs Linda Collum
She ran well in a maiden hurdle and on the basis that she can improve, she should be able win a little mares’ hurdle in the north of England. She needs to step up in trip and she should improve with racing.
MAN WITH VAN
8yo b g (1F5112-2118)
Milan - Delibonne
Jetmac Syndicate
He is a good horse and he ran okay the last Sunday at Navan. That was a case of just getting him out and he will go back chasing in a couple of weeks’ time. Down the road, he could be a nice horse for something like the Scottish National. He jumps well and he needs a trip and I think there is more to come from him over fences. He is bred to be a chaser so he handles soft ground well, but the ground last Sunday was a bit holding for him. He won a couple of chases last season.
MERRYDOWN BLACK
6yo b g (9/)
Kayf Tara - Right On Target
Mrs Pat Sloan
He has had a run over hurdles but we will start him back in a point-to-point. He is a nice type of horse that we hope will be up to winning a hurdle before he goes chasing.
MONTANA BELLE
4yo b f (31-42)
High Chaparral - Stiletta
Mr Roger Brookhouse
She ran well for us in a bumper at Punchestown in the spring. We didn’t have her that long and we were delighted with her when she finished second in a listed mares’ bumper the last day at Cheltenham. We think a lot of her and she is a fine big mare that we think should do well over hurdles. We will find her a nice opportunity this side of Christmas and after that she could go down the mares’ novice hurdle route. She has the potential to be pretty smart.
MUIRHEAD
11yo b g (140464/4430P-54P50)
Flemensfirth - Silaoce
Mrs Pat Sloan
He has joined us to go point-to-pointing. He was a high class horse but the handicapper has him under rules so hopefully he will take to that job. Going a shade slower should help him, but those open lightweights can be very competitive, but he has done all that has been asked of him since he joined us and he could develop into a decent hunter chaser.
NANAIMO
6yo ch g (-08)
Philanthopist - Hippicritical
Mr Seamus McAlister
He is a huge horse that came to us from Canada but he has shown us little to date. We thought that he would be competitive in his maiden hurdle but hopefully he will find his own level in handicaps.
NENDRUM
5yo br g (P-)
Westerner - Westgrove Berry
Ms Elizabeth Hamilton & Mr Jude Doherty
He jumps well and he just needs a bit more time. He will start off in a bumper/maiden hurdle and I think he will be competitive in the likes of those. He is around four to six weeks off a run and he is a horse that we like.
NOW LET GO
4yo b f (-3)
Femensfirth - Zayana
Mrs Margaret McCrudden
She is a nice big type that finished third in a bumper at Wetherby on Wednesday. She is a very nice mare and she does jump well.
NOW THIS IS IT
10yo ch g (/12232/9862/7U232-)
Accordion - Leitrim Bridge
Mrs Margaret McCrudden
He has had a year off but he has been a great servant for us. Time is against him, but I would love to win a good race with him. He needs good ground so he should be ready to run in the spring of the year. If we get a clear run with him, there is another race or two to be won with him.
PADDY’S YARN
4yo ch g
Houmayoun - Deidamia
Mr Philip Swann
He goes well and he will be a nice horse for the better ground. He has run respectably and he could be an ideal horse for somewhere like Perth next summer. He should do well over hurdles when he gets his conditions.
ROYAL SEA BREEZE
5yo b g (0/P4-2P75)
Darsi - Keen Waters
Mr Phil Shelton
He has been disappointing but he has ability and chasing might improve him. He wants a bit of cut in the ground and he should be fine in his own level in handicaps.
STRONGPOINT
10yo b g (/0222011051-08)
Bob Back - Ceo Draiochta
Mr Seamus McAlister
He has been a revelation as we bought him to go point-to-pointing. He won a couple for us but then he just improved no end over hurdles and fences and he went from 110 to 142 over hurdles. He loves a fast run race and he won a real good race for us at Musselburgh. I remember when he won that day there I was trying to get him to stay three miles to win a point-to-point. The handicapper probably has him now, but the better the race, the better he’ll run. He won’t be easy to place now, but we will run away over hurdles and fences and we’ll win what we can with him. He owes us nothing at this stage. He is rated a good bit lower over fences so we might start him back in a chase around Christmas time.
SULTANA BELLE
6yo b m (3317344-1450)
Black Sam Bellamy - Sultana
Mr D.J. McCormack
She is a grand fun mare that has won a couple for us and she has been a very consistent mare in her own grade. She tries hard and is very honest and has a great attitude. There is another day in her and she is a mare that could be competitive on the flat next year.
TAZARA
5yo br m
Milan - Taisilk
Miss E. Hamilton
She is not far off a run and will start off in a point-to-point or a bumper. We took her to work at Fairyhouse but she didn’t appear to handle the bad ground that day, so we might bring her across the water in search of better ground. She goes well.
THE BANASTOIR
5yo b br g (P/5PP-51)
Presenting - Kimouna
Mr Roy Wilson
He was way too keen in point-to-points but he won his maiden hurdle at Perth earlier this year. He is not far off a return to action and he could go for a handicap hurdle somewhere in the north of England. He jumps well and he has the options of going chasing as well.
THE ICE FACTOR
6yo b g (118P/256-6F83F9)
Iceman - Kiruna
Travellers Rest Syndicate
He is a grand fun horse that has been placed a few times, and finished fifth at Musselbrough yesterday. We will try him on the better ground in the north of England before we give him a break as he wants better ground.
TRUCKING ALONG
8yo br g (/0474183102-)
Zagreb - Pegus Gold
Mr & Mrs David Bailey
He has done well for us and he is another horse that is rated 130+ over hurdles. We might go chasing with him and he has had just the one run over fences. He is a horse that I think could win a nice handicap chase as the handicapper may have him over hurdles. He is a horse with plenty of ability and if he takes to fences, he could develop into a useful chaser.
TWENTYTWO’S TAKEN
6yo b m (11-2)
King’s Theatre - Persian Desert
Ms Siobhan Mackinnon
We were disappointed that she was beaten at Navan last Sunday but our mare wants better ground. She has come out of the race very well and I don’t think that we have seen the best of her. Earlier this year, we were disappointed that she didn’t make it to Aintree for the mares’ bumper as I thought it would have taken a fair mare to beat her over there. As far as the future goes, I am not sure if she will go for another bumper. She can’t run in the Cheltenham Bumper so I’d say that we’ll get a bit more schooling into her and get her started over hurdles. I think she can compete at a very high level.
YES TOM
9yo gr g (2U5/3463/P6819-)
Tikkanen - Ammieanne
Mr Tom Topping
He had the two starts for us and he won a nice race for us at Down Royal. He ran a nice race for a long way in the Scottish National, but he wasn’t himself afterwards and that race took a lot out of him. He has had a good break and he looks super, so we’ll start him back around Christmas time with a view to maybe at aiming him at the Scottish National next year. He has a very good record around Ayr.
YOUNG PALM
7yo gr g (1/534/50)
Great Palm - Young Amelie
Mrs Pat Sloan
He is a horse that we thought a lot of after he won his bumper, but he met with a bit of trouble and he had to have some time off. He didn’t run that well at Down Royal, but some of our horses disappointed around that time, but he seems fine again now. He is a horse that we might crack on with over fences now. There should be more to come from him.
VELOCITY OF LIGHT
5yo br g NH: (00559) F: (5744/)
Kyllachy - Irish Light
S.R.B. Crawford
He came to us from Andy Oliver’s and he should find his own level in handicaps once he tidies up his jumping a bit.
VERONA OPERA
3yo b f (-2)
King’s Theatre - Timissa
Mrs F. Cumiskey
She was second in a bumper at Ayr to what looked a very good horse of Nicky Richards’. Originally the plan had been to go juvenile hurdling with her as he she jumps well, but we’ll try her in another bumper. We’ll see how the next day goes and she might be one that we could aim at some of those good mares’ bumpers in the spring.
UNRACED HORSES
BILLY BILLY
4yo b f
Darsi - Mrs Gordi
Mr Drew Cromie
She will go the point-to-point route but I would hope that she is up to competing under rules. She is only four so we’ll hold tight until the turn of the year before we start her off.
CORNERMAN
4yo br g
Craigsteel - Legal Lady
Mr Steven Crawford
He is a smart horse and has had one day away from home. He will start off in a bumper maybe early in the New Year.
GENERAL PRINCIPLE
5yo b g
Gold Well - How Provincial
Mr Roy Wilson
He will start off in a point-to-point this weekend. He wants reasonable ground so if he didn’t get that we might let him take his chance in a bumper. I think he would be competitive in one and he could be a nice horse to go jumping with.