Crawford To Play Starring Role In Young Guns

HOT prospect Star Turn, winner of his past six of eight starts, takes on a hot field in Thursday night's Group 3 Young Guns (520m) at Albion Park with owner-trainer Jeff Crawford saying the hardest to beat is a dog he also bred.

That is Say When Glen (Hooked On Scotch-Kiss And Cut) the Denise Robinson-trained winner of his heat last Thursday night in 29.84, the fastest of the series.

"He is learning to be a race dog and I believe there is a very good race in him," said Jeff of Star Turn which in 13 starts has won six and been placed four times for $48,000 in stakes earnings.

Crawford thinks so much of him that Star Turn went north to contest the heats of the Group 2 Rockhampton Cup early in April running second to Play Dirty in a heat.

He then brilliantly won the Cup Consolation in 29.56, quicker than the Selena Zammit-trained Backcreek Benny ran to win the Cup final in 29.71.

"Star Turn broke in the quickest of this Aston Rupee-Strike Her Pose litter, but Validate has since been showing great ability as well," Crawford said.

"I rushed Star Turn a bit to get him into the Eric Thomson Series heats back in December. It took him a few runs to put it all together but he is certainly doing that now.

"It's all been a learning curve for him."

Crawford said he does not believe Star Turn worries about what box he draws.

"He's a big framed dog and needs a little room to move early, but he and the rest of the litter all have good second sections," he said.

"It's the strongest point in their make-up. They all can go 11.50s to the second mark."

Crawford says Say When Glen is the hardest to beat in the Young Guns final but rates his other finalist, Miles On It, a dog of great potential.

"He ran second in the Eric Thomson final, beaten a head, and came from last at the winning post in his heat of the Young Guns last week finishing second to Drink Tins," he said.

"He's a nice dog."

Crawford has just whelped four dogs and three bitches by Hooked On Scotch from Group 2 Flying Amy Classic winner Kiss And Spin.

Say When Glen is by Hooked On Scotch from Kiss And Cut, the dam a litter sister to Kiss And Spin.