Sun Bloodstock’s Fortress Command looked to have a bright future when winning his first two starts before placing in the Group III Baillieu Hcp and finishing fourth in Castelvecchio’s Group 1 ATC Champagne Stakes at two, however he failed to hit the boards in four starts at three.
The son of Sebring was gelded before the start of his 4yo campaign and it may have done the trick, with Nash Rawiller guiding the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained bay to half-length victory over the short-priced favourite Petronius (Redoute's Choice) in the Vale Mick Hood benchmark 78 (1400m) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
To be fair, Fortress Command only contested group races last season including the Group 1 Randwick Guineas, a pair of Group IIs and a Group III.
“We always had a bit of an opinion of him early. He had a chip taken out of a front joint and he was always a run behind in the autumn,” Ryan told Sky Thoroughbred Central.
“He was nearly on his way to Singapore but I asked Mr C (Chen) if I can give him one prep as a gelding and he has come back a lot stronger horse.
“Where he heads to, I’m not sure. I might have got it wrong when I thought he would get a journey he might just like it up to 1600m. Now as a 4yo gelding I think her will get through his grade all right.
“I’ve got two half-sisters to him at home (the 3yo Vancouver filly Namoi and the 2yo Exceed And Excel filly Batemans Bay) both unraced, so I hope it all goes well for Sun Bloodstock.”
A half-sister to the Group III Quezette Stakes runner-up Leotie (Darci Brahma) Fortress Command is the third winner from as many to race out of High Chaparral (IRE) mare Prairie Star who was purchased by Sun Stud for $240,000 out of the Bell View Park Stud draft at the 2016 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale.
A stakes-placed winner of five races, Prairie Star is a half-sister to the high-class stakes winner Marianne and the Group 1 SAJC Schweppes Oaks runner-up Our Miss Jones.
Prairie Star has a yearling colt by Thonum and foaled a Snitzel colt on August 20.
