Fort Vega, right© Photo Healy Racing
Strong-travelling Fort Vega (6/1) made it back-to-back victories when holding on in the Royal Ascot Trials At Naas Handicap.
Robbie Colgan sent him on from Long Count racing into the final quarter of a mile and the pair got first run on the favourite Broadhurst who was caught in a pocket before being produced between horses a furlong out.
Colgan was in the drive position and his mount found generously as the pair kept going. Broadhurst (7/4f) kept on strongly in the closing stages, but was foiled by a head. Betterdaysrcoming (16/1) was a length and three parts away in third.
Trainer Sheila Lavery said: “I was a little bit worried, being a Lope De Vega, whether the ground would be a tad fast for him. We decided to let him take his chance because it was such a good race for him.
“I'll talk to John (Lavery, brother), I know where he'd like to go. They love having runners at Ascot and I'd say the Jersey could be an option. John is in Portugal, so I'll talk to him and we'll make a plan.
“He's in the Guineas next week but you are jumping from a handicap to a Group 1. I think the weather is to be very warm as well, if it came up dead soft I might chance it.
“He's a gorgeous horse, you can put him anywhere and do anything with him as he's just so easy.”
Fort Vega won his maiden at Gowran Park this month.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
