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| Sumita Pawar |
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The Crisfords have had their fair share of wins at the Longines Hong Kong International Races. Now, Ed is aiming to continue the family tradition and follow in his father Simon's footsteps. He hopes to achieve this by competing in Sunday's Group One Hong Kong Vase, riding West Wind Blows over a distance of 2,400m.
Ed is bidding to follow in his father's successful footsteps at the HKIR. His father had a long and prosperous career as Godolphin's racing manager, accruing plenty of success at the event. With optimism, Ed is looking forward to making his maiden trip to Hong Kong a triumphant one in the HK$24 million race.
“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, Sheikh Mohammed's right-hand man, experienced four victories at Sha Tin's marquee meeting from 2000 to 2010. Ed believes that West Wind Blows, the father-son training partnership's potential breakthrough first Hong Kong win, has the potential to land a victory.
Crisford said that Without A Fight ran a great race in the Caulfield Cup and that the form is solid. If West Wind Blows can run to that level of form, he should run a very good race.
West Wind Blows had 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 at Royal Ascot, before travelling to Australia in September. After producing a mammoth runner-up effort in October's Group One Turnbull Stakes at Flemington, the 4YO 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.
Crisford said that West Wind Blows has run some really good races in Europe and Australia this year in defeat to some top-class horses. 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 at Flemington, finishing ninth of 11 behind James McDonald-ridden Atishu. However, Crisford is confident the gelding had legitimate excuses. The race wasn't run to suit him over the 2,000m, and he put in two really solid efforts Down Under, so you've got to go with that form line.
Crisford said that West Wind Blows came out of his last race really well, and he thinks 12 furlongs is key with him. He's relaxing and settling so much better with the more racing he does, and that's why they thought the Vase would be a good option for him.
West Wind Blows 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. Crisford said that it's been a really good year, and they've had Vandeek and Algiers, and they've got some seriously good horses in the stable. The quality is only getting better, and let's hope they can cap it off with a Vase victory.