Brett Crawford will send between ten and 12 of his best horses to Summerveld on Friday but Southern Cross winner Run Fox Run will not be among them.

The Philippi trainer explained: “She has a lot of aches and pains so she is going to raid from here when she runs in the SA Fillies Sprint at Hollywoodbets Scottsville (May 30).”

The Ridgemont four-year-old was unbeaten in five starts until finishing just over a length-fourth to Russet Air in the Cape Flying Championship. She would have been a leading fancy for the Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes three weeks later but for showing an abnormal blood count and having to be scratched.

Candice Bass-Robinson will prep some of her stars at home – including dual Bidvest Majorca winner Clouds Unfold and Gold Cup candidate Mercurana – but the first of the remainder will depart at the end of the month “and I will stagger them after that.”

Yesterday’s declarations for Saturday’s meeting at Durbanville were not kind to the Crawford stable. Charles (Corne Orffer) and Hudoo Magic (Anton Marcus) were the only ones declared for the 1 400m Progress Plate and so this useful stepping stone was cancelled.

Two 1 250m juvenile races were hastily put together to make an eight-race card, and eight trainers responded to the National Racing Bureau’s call by putting ten horses in the first and 11 in the fillies equivalent. Justin Snaith came up with seven runners and Mrs Bass-Robinson with five. 

By Michael Clower