3 minute read

Crisford team hoping West Wind Blows can “pick up a piece of the pie.”

Over the past twenty-five years, multiple British and European horses have ventured to Australia for the Melbourne Spring Carnival and then chosen to make a stop on their way back home to try and find success at the Longines Hong Kong International races. The only horse able to travel to Australia, win and then go to Hong Kong to achieve further success is Dunaden, who won the 2011 Melbourne Cup and followed up in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase five weeks later.

This year, no horse is attempting the double, but one horse that went close to winning twice in Melbourne and will race at Sha Tin on Sunday is the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained West Wind Blows.

Owned by UAE businessman Abdullah Al Mansoori and raced under the Rabbah Bloodstock name West Wind Blows is quickly gaining a reputation as a globetrotter having raced away from his Newmarket home base and competed internationally on six of his past ten starts.

Only a four-year-old, Simon Crisford says West Wind Blows was destined as a horse where international opportunities would serve him best:

"We identified him quite early on as a horse who could be a nice international type, and he's proved a real professional at travelling. As he gets older, I'm sure he will get even better."

Progressive at three, he won the Group 3 Prix d'Orange (10f) at Longchamp in September 2022 and placed in the Group 2 Prix Dollar three weeks later.

He resumed racing in May following a gelding operation and won a Group 3 at Longchamp in June before finishing second in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes (10f0 at Royal Ascot. He travelled to Melbourne in September and whilst he failed to win in three starts, the trip was a profitable one, finishing second in both the Turnbull Stakes (10f) at Flemington and the Caulfield Cup (12f). His only disappointment was in the G1 Champions Stakes (10f) where he finished down the track. Simon Crisford believes there were excuses:

"He had a slight tendency in his three races in Australia to be slowly out of the gates, and that worked against him on that occasion. We hadn't planned for it to happen, but he's none the worse for it."

Following the race, it was decided West Wind Blows should continue his travels and compete in Hong Kong:

"Hong Kong was always on our radar, and he had been based at the Werribee training centre for quite some time, so we decided we should get to Hong Kong early.

"Ed, who's there with him, tells me he's in good form. Just as important, we've done some gate-schooling with him and Ed says he's better at it, so fingers crossed."

"A mile and a half is a good trip for him, but he's going to have to raise his game again. The Vase looks a deep race this year, and he's got to find a few pounds against horses that are rated higher than him, but we think he is a horse who will continue to improve mentally and physically."

West Wind Blows will also have a change of rider with James McDonald, who is having success in Hong Kong since being granted a short-term contract to ride, being booked to take over the reins from Jamie Spencer who has ridden the horse at his past seven starts:

"James is a world-class jockey, a perfect fit for this horse.

"It will be an honour to represent the UAE with West Wind Blows. Let's hope we pick up a piece of the pie."