The WSB Met-winning yard of Michelle Rix and Harold Crawford has been inundated since winning Cape Town’s biggest race but finally found time to celebrate the big win on Tuesday evening and enjoyed a braai at their Milnerton-based yard with owner Ashwin Reynolds and other close friends and family. Michelle also revealed the reasoning behind the decision to now send him up to Johannesburg for the Highveld Autumn Season.

Kommetdieding, despite still being an entire with a stallion future ahead of him, was relaxed and as quiet as a lamb in the stable right next to the activity.

He only had a chain across his stable entrance and, when his head was not buried in the feed manger, he enjoyed socialising with the guests.

He was always willing to show off his party trick, a folded in half tongue which he then holds between his front teeth (see picture). He does this as a reaction to the pleasure of being tickled.

His breeder John Koster of Klawervlei Stud was at the braai and said he had never before seen a horse doing this in all his decades of working with them and added, “Jean Heming once told me the horses who did such unusual things were always the great ones. It is a sign of character.”

Michelle said Kommetdieding was due for a holiday on the farm after the Met but was so full of well-being it was clear he was ready for more racing. Suitable races in the KZN SA Champions Season were too far away, so the best option was Johannesburg. He will be aimed at the Grade 1 weight for age (wfa) HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m on April 2 and the Grade 1 wfa Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m on April 30.

Michelle travells up to Johannesburg on Friday this week to look at both Turffontein and Randjesfontein to ascertain which would be the more suitable centre for Kommetdieding to be trained at. Brett Crawford’s satellite yard at Turffontein and Roy Magner’s Randjesfontein yards are the favourites to take him in, the former because they have always been good friends of the Crawford/Rix’s and the latter because Kommet’s big race rider Gavin Lerena is often there.

Michelle said having somebody at hand who knew him well was the most important consideration. She herself is planning to spend five days a week with him on the Highveld and two checking on the horses back at Milnerton. Gavin and Vicky Lerena will take care of him when she is not there.   

Michelle is not overly concerned about the altitude factor. No official study has been done on the effects of altitude on thoroughbred performance so all evidence is anecdotal and there are a number of differing theories. However, she said she had been told by Veterinarians to expect an increase in red blood cell count when training on the Highveld and that as an entire Kommetdieding would have a higher than usual red blood cell count anyway so should not be put under too much stress.     

The remainder of Kommetdieding’s season, including a potential defense of his Durban July crown, would only be considered after the two Johannesburg races.

Michelle said a stud career is not beckoning yet and elaborated, “He is still so immature and jockeys who have been riding him have said he has improved a couple of lengths since The Met.”