Brett Crawford sends six runners to the opening meeting of the season at Sha Tin on Sunday (6 September), with five-year-old Public Attention looking the most likely to provide early-season success.

With his stable running at maximum capacity from the off, it’s a stark contrast to the beginning of his debut campaign last season, when Crawford began with a half-full yard of transferees and didn’t send six or more runners racing until 20 December.

Crawford spoke this week of his rookie 2025/26 season, when he amassed 28 wins at a strike rate of 7.84%, as being “a big learning curve which I think the yard handled pretty well”.

Public Attention, winner of the 2025 G3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Randwick before moving to Hong Kong in July last year, made a promising start to his own Hong Kong career. He finished second, third and fourth in his first three runs before a failed bid at the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m). After another disappointing outing in a Class 3 sprint, the son of Written Tycoon was transferred from David Hayes’ stable to Crawford’s.

After a couple of months away from the track, he returned in better form, delivering two third-place finishes and a fourth under Karis Teetan.

“I think he’s improved a lot,” Crawford said. “He certainly seems to be more focused on his work.

“At the back end of the season, his first two or three runs were soon after gelding. So I think he’s had time to get over that and mature. We’re expecting a good season from him.”

On Sunday, the five-year-old lines up in the card-closing Class 3 Battery Handicap over 1200m, a distance where he has returned his best result in Hong Kong (second). Crawford was buoyed by Public Attention’s showing in a 30 August 1000m barrier trial, where he finished second, making progress behind a runaway Ka Ying Rising.

“It was a good start for him with a nice barrier trial,” said Crawford of Public Attention, who will again be ridden by Teetan. “I think it’s enough to bring him on a lot for Sunday.

“He’s dropping down in class now, from Class 2 to Class 3, so I think he’ll run a very good race,” the South African added.

Crawford’s charge will find himself up against a highly progressive sort in Francis Lui’s Gold Patch.

The Ardrossan gelding scored three victories in the first four races of his career last season, and begins his four-year-old campaign with a confident Vincent Ho in the saddle following an impressive showing in a 25 August barrier trial.

“He did well last season,” Ho said. “I think the summer will have improved him. This morning (3 September) he felt good, so I think he should have a chance.

“In the race, if it looks like they will go, he’ll go wherever is comfy. He’s shown good early speed, and we should just let the race pan out. It doesn’t really matter; as long as we have a smooth run, I think he should perform well.”

Sunday’s (6 September) 10-race fixture at Sha Tin starts at 12.30pm with the Class 5 Glenealy Handicap (1200m). Admission to the racecourse opens at 10.30am.

Photo: HKJC

By Paul Ryding