Elusive State
Trish Dunell
Trevor and Martin Cruz look to have a decent three-year-old prospect on their hands in Elusive State.
The brothers produced the youngster for a smart debut victory in the New World 1200 at Te Rapa on Saturday to further fuel their hopes for next season with the gelding.
Elusive State, who is raced by their mother Angel, pleasantly surprised his connections with his first-up performance.
"We expected him to run a place at best as the ground was our main concern," Trevor Cruz said.
"He's only had one trial and the plan was to put him out after that and bring him back for the spring, but things changed and we needed to give him a run."
Elusive State had given an early indication of his talent when he finished runner-up at the Cambridge trials in March behind the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Bonneval, who was subsequently an impressive debut winner at Hastings.
"Our bloke is still very green so he will learn a lot," Cruz said. "He'll come back a better horse, hopefully for the Guineas races."
The first two-year-old runner for the stable, Elusive State took control at the top of the straight under Lynsey Satherley and he fought on tenaciously to hold out the challenge of the favourite Poker Face and Zavistic.
By All American out of a Redoute's Choice mare, Elusive State is a half-brother to Absolut Excelencia, the stakes winner of 10 races. – NZ Racing Desk.
The brothers produced the youngster for a smart debut victory in the New World 1200 at Te Rapa on Saturday to further fuel their hopes for next season with the gelding.
Elusive State, who is raced by their mother Angel, pleasantly surprised his connections with his first-up performance.
"We expected him to run a place at best as the ground was our main concern," Trevor Cruz said.
"He's only had one trial and the plan was to put him out after that and bring him back for the spring, but things changed and we needed to give him a run."
Elusive State had given an early indication of his talent when he finished runner-up at the Cambridge trials in March behind the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Bonneval, who was subsequently an impressive debut winner at Hastings.
"Our bloke is still very green so he will learn a lot," Cruz said. "He'll come back a better horse, hopefully for the Guineas races."
The first two-year-old runner for the stable, Elusive State took control at the top of the straight under Lynsey Satherley and he fought on tenaciously to hold out the challenge of the favourite Poker Face and Zavistic.
By All American out of a Redoute's Choice mare, Elusive State is a half-brother to Absolut Excelencia, the stakes winner of 10 races. – NZ Racing Desk.