Brave Fortius a top Tauranga chance
Fortius has battled his way back from adversity and at Tauranga today he is presented with another opportunity to make up for lost time.
The lightly-tried six-year-old was a solid third at Te Aroha last time out and looks primed to follow up with a strong effort in the Sanpellegrino Handicap (1400m).
Fortius was side-lined for more than 12 months by serious injury before he made a successful comeback earlier this year with a firstup victory at Pukekohe.
‘‘Earlier on he was very immature and couldn’t keep any weight on and then he did a tendon when he won his maiden for me and he’s come back well from that,’’ trainer Cody Cole said.
‘‘He was too fresh at Ellerslie two runs back and the side winkers weren’t really necessary either so we took them off last time.
‘‘We rode him a bit colder and he finished off his race well. He’s not really a heavy track horse, but the ground at Tauranga should be fine for him.’’
Meanwhile, Fortius’ stakeswinning stablemate Astor is in good shape for Saturday’s Inglis Sales Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa.
‘‘This will be her last run before she goes to the paddock,’’ Cole said.
‘‘She’s done a really good job and she’ll be a nice mare next season. We’ll probably look to work her programme back from the Railway – she’s a real speed horse and loves Ellerslie.’’
Astor confirmed she was on target for the Te Rapa feature when she won her 850m heat at Te Aroha earlier this month.
❚ Multiple Group Two winner Ocean Emperor is making good progress ahead of an overseas mission.
The son of Zabeel is on target for a crack at a Singapore Group One feature, the Kranji Mile (1600m) on May 26.
‘‘It’s no mean feat that we got accepted, but he has beaten the best milers in this country – Kawi, Thee Auld Floozie and Miss Wilson and other Group Two winners like Coldplay,’’ part-owner and trainer Gary Hennessy said.
Ocean Emperor furthered his Singapore preparation on Tuesday at the Te Teko trials where he wasn’t pressured and coasted into fourth in his 1000m heat.
‘‘It was a pleasing day out and Shaun (McKay) was very happy with him,’’ Hennessy said.
‘‘Everything is on target and he’s in pretty solid condition.’’
❚ A pre-race plan was perfectly executed at Awapuni yesterday by rider Johnathan Parkes aboard King Cougar.
The Wanganui jockey sat in fourth spot before angling wide on the turn and the Alamosa gelding did the rest in style to run away with the Carpet King Handicap (1200m) in his first appearance for the year.
‘‘I walked the track this morning and I thought it was definitely better in the centre so I instructed Johnathan to get out there,’’ trainer Mike Breslin.
King Cougar has now won three of his seven starts and is being aimed toward The Hanley Formula Autumn Sprint Championship Final (1200m) at Trentham on May 26.
❚ Ruby Armani’s breakthrough black type victory at Awapuni yesterday has opened up options for trainers Mike Moroney and Pam Gerard.
The Makfi five-year-old boosted her future broodmare value when she went one better on the Palmerston North course to claim top honours in the Manawatu ITM Anzac 1550m.
At her previous start, the Matamata-prepared mare had finished runner-up at Awapuni in the Flying Handicap (1400m).
‘‘She’s been close in a few Group Threes so she really deserved that today,’’ Gerard said.
‘‘Her pet distance has been 1400m, but we stretched her out to the 1550m and she relaxed so well.’’