Crisford team dreaming of Vase glory as Ed hopes to follow in Simons footsteps | HK Racing
The Crisfords are no strangers to triumphs at the Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR), and Ed hopes he can follow in the footsteps of his father, Simon, when West Wind Blows contests Sunday’s Group One Hong Kong Vase (2,400m).
Bidding to emulate his dad, who enjoyed plenty of success at HKIR during his long tenure as Godolphin’s racing manager, Ed is optimistic he can make his first trip to Hong Kong a winning one in the HK$24 million event.
“I’ve never been to Hong Kong, so I’m looking forward to it. I’ve always wanted to come,” Ed Crisford said. “Dad’s been there many years with Godolphin and won a lot of big races, so it’s exciting.”
Simon experienced four victories at Sha Tin’s marquee meeting from 2000 to 2010 as Sheikh Mohammed’s right-hand man, and Ed believes West Wind Blows has the potential to land a breakthrough first Hong Kong win for the father-son training partnership.
“He ran a super race in the Caulfield Cup, and it was great to see Without A Fight go on and win the Melbourne Cup,” Crisford said. “That form is solid. If he can run to that level of form, he should run a very good race.”
With a five-race European campaign under his belt – including a Group Three victory over 2,000m at Longchamp and a second in the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes (2,400m) at Royal Ascot – West Wind Blows travelled to Australia in September.
After producing a mammoth runner-up effort in October’s Group One Turnbull Stakes (2,000m) at Flemington, the four-year-old came agonisingly close to his first elite-level win two weeks later when his former stablemate, Without A Fight, headed him in the final strides of the Caulfield Cup (2,400m).
“He’s run some real good races in Europe and Australia this year in defeat to some top-class horses,” Crisford said. “Whether it was Pyledriver in the Hardwicke or even being beaten a few lengths behind Emily Upjohn and Paddington in the Eclipse.”
“He’s travelled well from Australia, settled in great, and he’s grown up a lot since he was gelded. The travelling is turning him from a boy into a man.”
West Wind Blows failed to fire on his most recent outing in last month’s Group One Champion Stakes (2,000m) at Flemington – he finished ninth of 11 behind James McDonald-ridden Atishu – but Crisford is confident the gelding had legitimate excuses.
“The race wasn’t run to suit him over the 2,000m, and I think we can put a line through that,” Crisford said. “He put in two really solid efforts Down Under, so you’ve got to go with that form line.
“He came out of his last race really well, and I think 12 furlongs is key with him. He’s relaxing and settling so much better with the more racing he does, and that’s why we thought the Vase would be a good option for him.”
The son of Teofilo will face nine opponents on Sunday, and McDonald will hop aboard him for the first time as the Crisfords bid to keep their prosperous 2023 rolling.
“It’s been a really good year,” Crisford said. “We’ve had Vandeek and Algiers, and we’ve got some seriously good horses in the stable. The quality is only getting better, and let’s hope we can cap it off with a Vase victory.”
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