Crafty Eagle set to soar again

If there was an award for the most energetic horse at Randwick on Saturday, Crafty Eagle would probably win it.

John Thompson has put a saddle on countless gallopers during his long and successful career, but few have come close to showing the same zest for life as the three-year-old.

“He is just a ball of energy that horse,” Thompson said.

“He’s like a lit stick of dynamite. He’s a horse you’ve got to keep active all the time.”

Luckily for Crafty Eagle, he has the talent to match his enthusiasm as he prepares to take his record to two wins from as many starts this campaign in Saturday’s Racing And Sports Handicap (1400m).

A winner up to a mile, the gelding overcame a wide draw and unsuitable distance to score over 1200m first-up and while he has to handle a class rise this weekend, it is offset by an ideal alley in two.

“He’s done super well and he’s actually drawn a gate,” Thompson said.

“It’s a step up in grade, that was a Midway 72, this is an open 78. I reckon he’s up to it.”

Thompson is also bullish Purple Sector can improve sharply in the Drinkwise Mile (1600m) after getting too far out of his ground when midfield over 1400m at Randwick last month.

He says the gelding will be ridden more positively on Saturday and despite rising eight, is sounder than he’s ever been.

“He was ready to run a lot better the other day but just got too far back. It was a bit frustrating to watch,” Thompson said.

“The mile at Randwick, he loves, he just needs to be closer to the speed. He should make a big improvement.

“He’s had soundness issues in the past with bad feet, but at the moment his feet are good, touch wood, and when his feet are good, he’s good.”

Surreal Step rounds out Thompson’s Randwick team in the Bob Charley Stakes (1100m) while More Prophets flies the flag for the stable in the Dane Ripper Stakes (1300m) at Eagle Farm with the trainer expecting both to be competitive.