It’s been quite a long hot summer for the Brett Crawford Racing Team, but the cooling champagne breeze arrived in under a minute of race action for the power players as the Ridgemont speed queen Run Fox Run scored a well-deserved maiden Gr1 victory, outgunning a high-class field to win the R750 000 Cape Flying Championship.
In perfect conditions, Anton Marcus rode a perfectly judged race on the daughter of Foxwedge, who further enhanced her considerable paddock value in the prestigious speed contest.
Run Fox Run (Anton Marcus) beats Rio Querari (Grant van Niekerk) in the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Backed from an opening call of 8-1, Run Fox Run (9-2) relished the near wind-free conditions as she put her extraordinary speed into play – and then kicked on powerfully under Marcus to easily resist the late challenge of Rio Querari (11-2) by three quarters of a length in a nippy 57,74 secs.
The favourite Celtic Sea (18-10) had no answer and had to be content with third, a further three lengths back.
Trainer Brett Crawford called it ‘mission accomplished’ as the speedy mare realised the sought after Gr1 prize.
Crawford said that he believed that to win races at the highest level, preparations need to go through without a hitch, and that is what Run Fox Run enjoyed.
Anton Marcus with the trophy (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Run Fox Run has won 8 races with 3 places from 11 starts for stakes of R1 140 350.
An A$420,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Craig Roscoe and Brett Crawford from the Mill Park draft, Run Fox Run was the most expensive yearling by her sire sold at that sale.
The winner is a half-sister to stakes-winner Guard of Honour and is the third winner from the well-related General Nediym mare Victory Cry.
