Trainer Brett Crawford said it was “the opportunity of a lifetime” to be granted a licence to train in racing-crazy Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club unveiled its newest recruit to the media at Sha Tin racecourse on Friday morning. The Western Cape-based conditioner will send out his first runners in Asia when the new 2025-26 season opens in September.
Crawford has 38 Grade 1 victories to his name – including the last two Hollywoodbets Durban July winners, Winchester Mansion and Oriental Charm – among almost 1,500 career winners in South Africa.
He finished third in the national trainer championship in the past two seasons and lies in second position on the current log – as per prize money accrued.
“When we came to look for an outstanding talent to recruit from South Africa to join the training ranks in Hong Kong, frankly the natural choice was Brett Crawford,” Andrew Harding, the Jockey Club’s executive director of racing, told reporters on Friday morning.
“I am absolutely delighted that he and his partner Gwen have made the decision to join us here and I look forward to him making an outstanding contribution to the world-class nature of Hong Kong racing.”
Crawford commented: “I’ve been training in South Africa for many years and I have always been interested in moving to Hong Kong.
“The integrity and professionalism of the Hong Kong Jockey Club is what attracted me… It’s one of the few places that has talent from all over the world competing, so without a doubt it makes you bring out the best in yourself and I think for me that’s probably the greatest challenge that I am looking forward to.”
Crawford will join countryman Douglas Whyte on the new training roster, and follows in the footsteps of Tony Millard and David Ferraris, who were also successful South African trainers in Hong Kong.
South African jockeys have also done well in the city, with Whyte having become a local legend and the current crop of riders including Keagan de Melo, Lyle Hewitson and Luke Ferraris.
South African horses have made a mark, too, with the recent blistering Sha Tin victory of import Mid Winter Wind highlighting how the relaxing of international export rules have smoothed equine travel.
The South China Morning Post’s racing editor Sam Agars commented on Friday that it was hoped the arrival of Crawford help to drive an increase in the sourcing of horses from his home country.
Harding also touched on the subject: “[Our goal] for some years has been to work with the industry in South Africa and the international organisations – the World Organisation for Animal Health – to achieve a facilitation of horse movements from South Africa and we’re very pleased that over the last 18 months we’ve seen a breakthrough on that front.”
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