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| Staff Writer |
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After amicably splitting with Newmarket duo Simon and Ed Crisford in recent days, owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum is set to have more of his horses trained in North Yorkshire.
The Gainsborough Stables operation has enjoyed many great days with the Derby-winning, Dubai-based owner, including with Royal Ascot winner Ostilio in 2018 and more recently with Without A Fight and Finest Sound.
Sheikh Mohammed Obaid has not been averse to moving his horses around in the past, famously falling out with Luca Cumani in 2015 and moving his top horse Postponed and others to Roger Varian. More recently, Varian has seen the classy El Drama move up north to join Karl Burke this summer, and five horses formerly based with the Crisfords have made the same move to Middleham.
The Crisfords' final runner for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid was the 2YO South Shore, who was beaten at odds-on at Sandown last Friday, although this is thought to have had little to do with the latest move.
When contacted by the Racing Post, Simon Crisford confirmed the move and said, "Sheikh Mohammed Obaid has decided to make a switch and I think he just felt it was the right thing for both of us.
"We are extremely grateful to him for all of his support over the last few years and we very much appreciate what he has done for our stable. We had some fun days together with the likes of Royal Ascot winner Ostilio, Finest Sound and Without A Fight."
He added, "He puts a huge amount into racing and is a great owner to have."
The Crisfords have been showcasing their famous yellow and black silks less frequently in recent years. In 2023, they only had two winners out of eight runners in Britain. On the other hand, Burke managed to secure 15 winners out of 46 runners, with his group including the talented juvenile Elite Status.