Third time lucky for Kalixa at Naas The Dermot Weld trained Kalixa stepped up on a couple of promising juvenile efforts last season to make a winning reappearance in the Race & Stay Fillies Maiden at Naas. Sixth on her racecourse debut at Gowran Park in September, the daughter of Kingman ran to a similar level when fifth at Leopardstown the following month. Stepping up in distance on her first start as a three-year-old, the 12/1 chance showed plenty of determination to see off some better fancied opponents. Tracking the leaders in sixth, as Guarded and Thilos went head to head up front, Chris Hayes produced Kalixa to challenge over two furlongs out. Ridden to lead over a furlong out, the Aga Khan owned filly stayed on well to hold the late run of Mittens by half-a-length. Dermot Weld, “She is a big filly who has progressed from two to three and we’ll see if we can get some black type with her. “She got an excellent ride and is a very genuine filly. That trip probably suits her well.” Additional reporting by Alan Magee.
