Brett Crawford proved at Scottsville that the practice of protecting handicap marks can be counter-productive when his three-year-old Bold Silvano gelding Bold Respect clinched the Listed In Full Flight Handicap/Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint double.

Brett Crawford

In 2015 Crawford had Gulf Storm well enough to win the In Full Flight Handicap and despite the horse being raised nine points for that win he went on to finish second in the Tsogo Sun Sprint to the brilliant Captain Of All.

Bold Respect was also in good enough shape to win the In Full Flight in his SA Champions Season pipe opener four weeks ago. He was raised five points by the handicapper but the effort in going all out in that race not only brought him to his peak, but it also gave the yard confidence. Crawford had pointed out last week a first outing at Scottsville was always tough for a horse and they would likely be better in their next attempt. Bold Respect duly more than made up the required 2,5kg improvement by winning the Tsogo Sun even more easily. In the In Full Flight he beat his stable companion Sunset Eyes by half-a-length and on 1kg worse terms beat him by 2,5 lengths in the Tsogo Sun. Sunset Eyes finished third, 0,75 lengths behind the Dorrie Sham-trained Pinnacle Peak, who made it a Grade 1 runner up double. It was a rare one-two for three-year-olds in the race. Sham said after the Querari gelding had finished second in the Computaform Sprint that she was thrilled to just have a runner in the SA Champions Season. Pinnacle Peak gave Bold Respect half-a-kilogram and will no doubt be back to contest the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint.

Bold Respect jumped well and Corne Orffer was happy to let him use his big action in front. Pinnacle Peak lay second throughout on the outside. The perfect horse for Scottsville’s tough track is one that has both the speed to free-wheel down the hill and then produce a kick to put the opposition under pressure when the climb begins at the 500m mark. Bold Respect duly responded well to Orffer’s urging at the 400m mark and his long stride did the rest. He never looked in danger of defeat and justified 113-20 second favouritism. The favourite Kasimir, jumping from draw one, moved up well at the 400m mark but his effort petered out and his sixth place completed a day to forget for the national champion elect yard of Justin Snaith.

Bold Respect, considering the speed and class he showed, will likely start favourite for the Mercury Sprint. On Saturday he received 3kg from the Computaform Sprint winner Attenborough and beat him by four lengths.

This was Crawford’s first Grade 1 win this season. Last year he won six, including the Rising Sun Gold Challenge with Captain America, who runs in the same Delmar and Lance Sherrell-owned black and white colours as Bold Respect.

By David Thiselton