Brave Fortius a top Tauranga chance

Lightly-raced galloper Fortius is in good order for his Tauranga engagement. Source: Race Images.

Fortius has battled his way back from adversity and at Tauranga on Thursday 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 first-up 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’ stakes-winning stablemate Astor is in good shape for Saturday’s Group 3 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 won the Listed Mufhasa Stakes (1200m) in March before she finished sixth in the Group 2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) following a tardy start and thereafter a chequered run.

“Everything that could go wrong did, but she came through it well and she was good at the trials,” Cole said.

Astor confirmed she was on target for Saturday’s Te Rapa feature when she won her 850m heat at Te Aroha earlier this month.

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