Oriental Charm ready to fire at Durban July

Oriental Charm will be looking at completing a Durban July double and according to Tim Woodruff, assistant trainer to James Crawford, he is more than capable of achieving that goal.

The Grade 1 race will be run over 2200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday and the Crawford yard are following a familiar routine as they look for a third successive victory in South Africa’s premier race.

James’ father Brett engineered the last two victories, with Winchester Mansion in 2023 and Oriental Charm last year, and all the preparation took place at their Randjesfontein yard on the Highveld, which was administered by James.

This year Brett is preparing to train in Hong Kong, James is operating the yard from their Cape Town base, and Woodruff is running the show at Randjesfontein.

James, however, is keeping a keen eye on the goings-on in Joburg. “He is either on the phone every day or he is up here overseeing everything,” said Woodruff on Tuesday.

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Woodruff, son of former multiple champion trainer Geoff Woodruff, had been out of racing for a while but admits he is glad to be back again. “I tried a few other things which I wasn’t really good at. Being away from it made me realise how much I missed working with horses.”

What he is sure about is that Oriental Charm is putting in some excellent work at home. “He’s very good. I haven’t worked with a horse that gives you so much confidence.

“He works himself hard at track every day. He does it hard, and if anything moves up to challenge him he fights back.

“He just shines every day.

“If he can reproduce last year’s run with his form now, he will be hard to beat.”

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Oriental Charm will jump from the No. 1 draw, which some pundits feel is a concern in a big field with 18 runners.

“I don’t see it as a problem,” added Woodruff. “He has so much gate speed so he will get out well and will have the smoothest trip hugging the rail. “

If he is in front I don’t see anybody getting past him.”

While Woodruff was not part of the team last year, he does feel Oriental Charm has improved since that victory and he will be strong enough to carry the additional 7kg this year.

“Most horses develop as three- and four-year-olds and reach their peaks as a five-year-old, so he has to be better. His races after the July indicate that.”

Since then, the son of Vercingetorix has won the Green Point Stakes, finished second behind Eight On Eighteen in the WSB Cape Met and then had an ideal warm-up when almost dethroning Dave The King in the Grade 1 Independent On Saturday Gold Challenge.

He will have one more run after this, the Grade 1 Champions up over 1800m, and then will be off to stud.

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The stable also has a second runner in the Durban July and that is Pomodoro’s Jet, who is unbeaten since fitted with cheekpieces.

“He is well,” said Woodruff, “but his prep didn’t go that well. He went off his food, possibly a virus, and had to be scratched from his last run. We’re trying our best to get him ready despite missing that race.”

Current betting

• 16-10 EIGHT ON EIGHTEEN
• 8-1 ORIENTAL CHARM, IMMEDIATE EDGE
• 16-1 THE REAL PRINCE, SELUKWE, GLADATORIAN
• 18-1 ON MY HONOUR
• 25-1 MY BEST SHOT
• 28-1 ROYAL VICTORY
• 30-1 MADISON VALLEY
• 33-1 ATTICUS FINCH, OKAVANGO
• 40-1 CONFEDERATE, LITIGATION
• 50-1 NATIVE RULER
• 60-1 POMODORO’S JET
• 70-1 PURPLE PITCHER
• 80-1 RAINBOW LORIKEET