Fred Crabbia
Prominent South African owner Fred Crabbia has split with his Cape Town trainer Greg Ennion and removed all 27 horses he had in the stable.
Internationally best known as the owner of Singapore’s Champion Rocket Man, Crabbia appears to have made the move after the failure of his star Master Plan in the J&B Met last month.
“I rate this horse very highly and we were bitterly disappointed. I believe that horses should never lose shoes at the start and that it was crazy putting a horse into a big race when you hadn’t tried that type in any other race previously. It was like expecting a ballerina to wear brand new shoes for the first time in an actual performance,” he told racingpost.com.
Ennion, responding to his dumping, stated: “What happened was that Master Plan put his head down as he came out of the pens and thrust his back feet right forward, ripping off the front shoes. I have my pride to consider. But it’s tough for any trainer to lose that many horses and I am disappointed because there are some very decent ones among them. However, Fred’s action did not come as any great surprise because he has a reputation for moving his horses.”
Last season’s Champions Cup and Derby winner, together with four others, joins Alec Laird at Randjesfontein near Johannesburg. One horse has gone to Gavin Smith in Port Elizabeth and the remainder stay in Cape Town but have been divided between Dean Kannemeyer, Vaughan Marshall and Justin Snaith.
Crabbia, who has had over 50 winners this season and is second on the races-won national log, believes there will be more opportunities for the Laird-bound quintet in Gauteng. “I feel that there is a lot more potential in Johannesburg and that the scope for him up here is a lot bigger. I want him to be got ready for the R2 million President’s Champions Challenge at Turffontein on April 27 and then the Durban July. – extract tabgold.com
