Crawford hoping for a Halloween party at Turffontein

Halloween was celebrated a fortnight ago and a horse of the same name is hoping to scare off the opposition in the sixth race at Turffontein on Monday.

The filly — a one-time winner in the Cape — is one of a handful of horses trainer Brett Crawford has sent to the highveld. He runs one of the most successful operations in the country and has trained three Met winners — Futura, Whisky Baron and Angus.

Crawford will be hoping for a better effort than stablemate, Chasing Mavericks, who ran unplaced at the city track on Thursday.

Bookies have priced Halloween — the mount of Gavin Lerena — as the early favourite and this is because the filly ran a creditable third behind Definitely Maybe at the Vaal at the beginning of the month.

Lerena will be expecting challenges from Princess Kesh, Bella Swan and Cape Estel — the first-named may pose the main threat.

Another horse under the spotlight on Monday is trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren’s unbeaten three-year-old Prince Of Fire. He looked pretty smart when winning a 94 Handicap last time out, but in the seventh race now has to face seasoned campaigners including Spanish Boy, Captain Morisco and Seemyvision.

Prince Of Fire has not raced since young Nathan Klink won on him in September, but Van Vuuren should have his charge near his peak.

Lucky Houdalakis’ sprinter Spanish Boy is useful on his day and the gelding might be the right horse to couple in the swinger with Prince Of Fire.

Clinton Binda’s runners have shaped well in the first three months of the season and — with S’manga Khumalo booked for the ride — his filly, Princess Sabrina, can reward each-way support in the final leg of the Pick Six.

Gin And Tonic, Looking Hot and Veneta can all be given chances in a race which could produce a tight finish.

Though Southern Song is the early market leader for the fifth race, Steve Moffatt’s runner Opera Glass should not be far away.  The four-year-old is another promising mount for Khumalo.

Southern Song represents the Mike and Adam Azzie partnership and they will be hoping for a big effort with Craig Zackey booked for the ride.

Meanwhile, Gary and Dean Alexander — stalwart trainers on the highveld for three decades — shocked many people last year with their decision to move their operation to Australia.

However, the brothers have welcomed their first winner Down Under with the gelding Brazen Force — ridden by Barend Vorster — winning the seventh race at Morphettville last weekend. There were nervous moments before the result was confirmed as a protest was lodged by the rider of the runner-up.

Gary Alexander, who trained 15 grade 1 winners in a notable career in SA, has stables at Morphettville, but the brothers plan to move to a new yard at Murray Bridge in the new year.

SELECTIONS

1st Race: (11) Risky Business (1) Burmese Tiara (8) Courante (4) Red Hot

2nd Race: (1) Chariot Master (3) Pewter Sky (8) Sequoia (5) Hudson Bay

3rd Race: (3) I Dream Of Genie (1) Magical Flight (6) Twice The Trip (8) Me Time

4th Race: (7) Miracle And Wonder (5) Dark Travel (2) Little Rain (3) Louvain

5th Race: (6) Opera Glass (3) Southern Song (9) Aryaam (2) Ululate

6th Race: (3) Halloween (1) Princess Kesh (4) Bella Swan (7) Cap Estel

7th Race: (2) Prince Of Fire (6) Spanish Boy (1) Captain Morisco (5) Seemyvision

8th Race: (5) Princess Sabrina (4) Gin And Tonic (3) Looking Hot (7) Veneta