Manhattan Flame on fire for Shane Crawford
MANHATTAN Flame has made a red-hot start to its career despite having physical issues that made its trainer doubt the three-year-old’s career would get off the ground.
The Hong Kong-owned galloper remained unbeaten in three appearances after a victory at New Plymouth last Sunday that followed a debut win at Woodville and success in between times at Pukekohe Park.
The horse’s trainer Shane Crawford said he feared the highly touted galloper would struggle to even make it onto the track.
“He’s got quite a bad club foot and we just manage it the best we can,” Crawford said.
“Our farrier has done an amazing job with him.
“If you had asked me 12 months ago, I wouldn’t have thought he would get to the races.”
Manhattan Flame’s performances have also been noted overseas, but Crawford believes a trip to where its owners reside may not be possible just yet.
“There has been interest in him from Hong Kong, but there’s an obvious question mark whether he would pass a vet to go up there,” the trainer said.
“If he stays, we’ll possibly look at a race at Otaki for him in a month’s time or there is another one at New Plymouth.”
Crawford said the tracks in New Zealand right now are suiting Manhattan Flame right down to the ground, which means a spell is not on the cards.
“He’s all heart and while the tracks are the way they are we’ll keep going. It’s just about keeping him happy and he hasn’t got a bad bone in his body.”
Another three-year-old to have impressed Crawford is Beauty Day, but the trainer does not believe it will ever run for the stable.
By Footstepsinthesand, the Irish-bred brother to the Hong Kong group two winner and multiple group one placegetter Beauty Flame won his only trial outing at Cambridge in May.
Crawford believes if he stayed in his stable the horse could do some serious damage in New Zealand.
“He’s going straight to Hong Kong – I think he’s possibly the best horse I’ve ever had,” he said.
“He was bought for 155,000 guineas and shipped down here and I broke him in.”