Elusive Winter is led in by Michelle Rix and Grant Knowles after an impressive debut win on Tuesday (Chase Liebenberg).
Michelle Rix spoke of the excitement of the Harold Crawford and Michelle Rix yard’s first ever treble at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Tuesday.
What made it more rewarding was it was no ordinary low key April Cape Town meeting, but instead had full fields and decent competitors throughout.
Michelle said Elusive Winter, a two-year-old colt who got the ball rolling on Tuesday, had been the standout lot of the De Grendel February Sale last year and she had gone over her budget to secure him for R325,000.
She had liked everything about him, including the pedigree.
A particular aspect of the pedigree she liked was he has the reverse cross that Kommetdieding has.
Kommetdieding is by Fort Wood stallion Elusive Fort out of a Captain Al mare, while Elusive Winter is by Captain Al stallion Captain Of All out of a Caesour mare who is out of a full-sister to Elusive Fort.
Jockey JP van der Merwe was thankful to Gavin Lerena for phoning him while he was suspended and advising him to try and get on this “quality” colt.
Elusive Winter in fact achieved the unusual feat of beating older horses on debut in a Maiden Plate over 1000m in the April of his two-year-old season.
He showed fine natural speed to be just off the pace and was doing it effortlessly.
He then displayed a superb turn of foot to put the race to bed and win easing up by half-a-length.
Elusive Winter is owned by Fiona Carmichael’s Westward Bloodstock Ltd.
The Klawervlei Stud-bred colt’s half-brother by Rafeef sold at the Cape Sales Premier Yearling Sale for R750,000.
Michelle said Elusive Winter would stay in Cape Town for the winter to preserve him for a much anticipated three-year-old campaign, although she intends running him in the Grade 3 Winter Nursery over 1100m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on May 10.
Elusive Winter has every chance of developing into a classic horse.
Captain Of All, despite being a champion sprinter, gets them to stay and Elusive Winter’s dam, Elusive Spirit, is a half-sister to Elusive Silva (Silvano), who won the Grade 2 Greyville 1900, the Grade 3 Winter Derby, the Grade 3 Cup Trial over 1800m, the Listed Sledgehammer over 1800m and was third in the July.
Michelle is also excited about the Master Of My Fate three-year-old filly Hierkommiebokkie, who impressed on Tuesday when stepped up to 1400m for the first time.
Running off a 79 merit rating after one previous win, the tall filly made a bee-line for the front under Grant van Niekerk.
In the straight she galloped resolutely and continually increased the gap between her and the opposition without any extraordinary effort.
She won by 2,25 lengths after being eased before the line.
She is one of a handful of horses Michelle has taken to KZN for the SA Champions Season.
She said she would see how she progressed before thinking of a feature, but she does predict a bright future for this Mayesh Chetty-bred filly.
Mayesh part-owns her in partnership with Bram van Huysteen, in whose colours she runs.
The Crawford-Rix yard’s other winner on the day was Captain Of All filly She’s My Captain.
This consistent four-year-old converted favouritism in a class 4 handicap over 1000m under Richard Fourie and she looks like she can progress beyond her current merit rating, which has been increased from 69 to 72 after the win.
