Encountered hands Crawford 1st HK G3 win in driving finish

HONG KONG Trainer Brett Crawford celebrated the most significant triumph of a burgeoning career in Hong Kong when the South African combined with familiar ally Karis Teetan to land the HK$4.2 million (S$702,000) Group 3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Handicap (1,800m) with Encountered at Sha Tin on Nov 9.

Saddling only his 31st starter this season since arriving at Sha Tin after a decorated South African career, Crawford exulted in a stirring victory after Teetan drove Encountered ($39) – the 2023 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse victor – to a short-head margin victory over Happy Together (Alexis Badel) and Moments In Time (Richard Kingscote) in 1min 47.35sec in front of a 34,784 crowd.

“It’s stuff that you probably couldn’t script. I’m super excited – he’s (Encountered) actually very similar to a Group 1 horse Karis rode at home called Jackson. He’s very similar in stature and it brought back a lot of memories,” said Crawford.

“The guys at home have worked really hard on this horse and I can’t thank them enough. It’s a fairy-tale start for me – to win a Group 3 in Hong Kong within your first season is really amazing.

“I could see him making up the ground and I knew he had a good chance, but there was a horse (Happy Together) who got just ahead of us and I wasn’t sure if we were going to get him in time.

“It really came down to the wire – it was a great race.

“I’ve really got to give credit to Karis. He rode a really good race and put a lot of hard work into the preparation.”

Pitted against 11 Longines Hong Kong International Races nominees, Encountered reprised his best form to charge from eighth on the home turn, clocking 23.36sec, to win his first race since the 2023 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse, while race favourite Cap Ferrat (Zac Purton) was eased out of the race.

Crawford said possible plans to contest the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup (2,000m) on Dec 14 would hinge on the Churchill six-year-old’s recovery.

“We’ll go one race at a time,” he said. “I’m pretty sure he will feel this race tomorrow. He’s a horse who takes his racing quite hard. We’ll enjoy the moment and reassess everything tomorrow.”

Said Teetan: “Myself and Brett, we go a long way back. He gave me a chance when I was still young and he taught me a lot – not just about being a jockey, but about being a human being and how to deal with life after you come out of your apprenticeship.

“He’s been a great part of my life and I’m glad that he’s here (in Hong Kong) and he’s continuously giving me support, and winning this race for him just means a lot.

“I worked him (Encountered) through the week and I thought it was the best I had felt him in a long time. The horse was happy, felt good – today, the last 50 (metres), I needed him and the horse responded well.”

Teetan rode several elite winners for Crawford in South Africa and the Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse success marked Teetan’s third victory in the race after winning on Horse Of Fortune (2016) and Ensued (2024).

Without a winner in 87 runners since Sept 21, 13-time champion trainer John Size launched a familiar November charge with a treble through Sight Hermoso, Ka Ying Power and Szeryng to move to five winners for the campaign.

Following his usual pattern of making a measured start to the season before his runners hit top form in November, the Australian conditioner struck with Sight Hermoso ($49) in the Class 4 Grace One Handicap (1,000m) under Brenton Avdulla, Ka Ying Power ($160) for Keith Yeung in the Class 5 Kate Tokyo Handicap (1,400m) and Szeryng ($14) under Purton in the Class 4 Suisse Programme Handicap (1,200m).

“Normally, as you’ve probably read 1,000 times, we have slow starts to seasons, but as long as we get going eventually, that’s the main thing,” said Size.

Circuit Grand Slam ($262) made a stunning Hong Kong debut for Manfred Man and Britney Wong by sweeping from the rear of the field to easily win the Class 3 Canmake Tokyo Handicap (1,200m), clocking 45.26sec for the final 800m to earn a Pre-import Performance (PP) Bonus of HK$1.5 million plus the winner’s purse of HK$1.04 million.

A full brother to dual Group 1 winner Blackbeard and Royal Ascot Group 2 victor Charles Darwin, the No Nay Never gelding won over 1,200m at The Curragh in June 2024 when he raced as Tunbridge Wells for Aidan O’Brien.

“Before I got on, I didn’t think there was much chance of winning because he was having his first start as a European, but everything went to our favour because the race really didn’t favour the lead, it didn’t favour the fence,” said Wong.

“It was good that we could just jump neutral and we didn’t have to be up front. We didn’t have to urge him during the race and I just had to keep him balanced and help him travel. He was still very green and I think he will improve from that.

“Certainly, he showed his ability today and so hopefully he can moving forward and upwards.”

Dennis Yip slotted a double with Super Love ($62) under Hugh Bowman in the Class 4 Elizabeth Arden Handicap (1,400m) and Thriving Brothers ($156) with Matthew Chadwick in the Class 3 Neogence Handicap (1,400m).

David Eustace’s Light Years Charm ($18) provided Purton with a double with his brave display in the Class 2 Santa Monica Handicap (1,400m).

Matthew Poon celebrated his 32nd birthday in style when David Hall’s Mr Good Vibes ($43) held on tenaciously to land the Class 5 L’Oreal Paris Handicap (1,600m) before James Orman drove Me Tsui’s The Auspicious ($67) to a head-victory over Audacious Spirit in the Class 4 La Estephe Handicap (1,600m). HKJC