I have a fantom cross frame from a few years ago- model with a carbon fork w/ steel steerer, and it made a nice bike. It would work perfectly fine for commuting unless you're wedded to the feel of steel, and it will work perfectly fine for racing.
If you're not a racer or super serious cyclist in the first place, your 1st cx race will teach you just how freaking hard it is and though a high-end zoot bike would shave a couple lbs and help you a bit, the fact of the matter is a high-zoot bike is wasted on a noob who isn't in good enough shape to truly be competetive.
That's been my experience with racing and since I've learned that I've stopped dreaming about a REALLY nice cx racer for the time being.
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fun facts:
Psychopaths have trouble understanding abstract concepts.
"Incompetent individuals, compared with their more competent peers, will dramatically overestimate their ability and performance relative to objective criteria."