Classy sprinter Red Can Man ends 833-day winning drought in Crawford Stakes at Ascot

Eight hundred and 33 days is a long time to be out of the winner’s circle. But for classy sprinter Red Can Man, it was not a sign of poor form. Since winning the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield in 2021, the Gingerbread Man gelding has had to settle for placings behind some of WA racing’s stars such as Elite Street and Amelia’s Jewel. Trainer Steve Wolfe likened the drought to being narrowly beaten in an AFL grand final. “You get beaten by three points and no one remembers you,” Wolfe said. Red Can Man’s time to shine finally came at Ascot on Saturday when he scored a deserved win in the Listed RS Crawford Stakes (1000m). Ridden to perfection by Shaun McGruddy, the $2.50 favourite charged from fourth to beat My Bella Mae ($5.50) by half a length. Hot Zed ($17) finished strongly for third. Now a seven-year-old, Red Can Man boosted his career earnings past $1.38 million with his ninth win from 42 starts. “He’s been beaten by the best sprinters in the State, Elite Street and Amelia’s Jewel,” Wolfe said. “He’s a great horse. We haven’t had a lot of luck at times. “He’s going a little bit better than last prep because he’s had a good spell. “It’s just wonderful, the horse has won $1.3 million now. We’ll go on from here to bigger and better things.” Red Can Man holds entries for three $1.5m features during the Ascot carnival - the Railway Stakes (1600m), Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) and Damien Oliver Gold Rush (1400m). “He deserved that today,” McGruddy said. “He’s been in lots of races where he’s had every chance and just fallen short, but he’s earned a lot of money by running second to some very good horses.”