Fort Bastion handles testing conditions and makes plenty of each-way appeal at 28/1 in the 4.45 at Ascot today now fitted with the cheekpieces for the first time.
The gelding waslast successful at Thhirsk back in May when trained by Ruth Carr, staying on well to beat Ingelby Angel by 3/4 of a length off a mark of 91.
He backed that up with a cracking short-head second to Navajo Chief in a class 1 listed handicap at York off 94, and has since run well in several valuable and competitive affairs.
They include a fine fourth to Heaven’s Guest in the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket off 97, an unlucky in-running sixth of 17 to Red Avenger at Goodwood off a mark of 95, and a solid fourth of 17 to Safety Check here over 7f.
Those efforts suggest that Fort Bastion is a big player in this off 97, and the five-year-old ran better than his finishing position suggests over 7f at this track last time out on his first start for David O’Meara where he was tenderly handled after blowing the start.
There is every chance that O’Meara will be able to get a bit extra out of Fort Bastion, and the fitting of the headgear looks a smart move.
The soft ground will also hold no fears as he won his maiden on it by 12 lengths when trained in the early part of his career by Richard Hannon, and the step up back to a mile – over which he has notched two of his career successes – is another plus.
Dauly Sport recommended bet: 2pts each-way Fort Bastion (28/1 BetVictor – BOG, 1/4 odds 1,2,3,4,5)
