Maybe shines in Chesham

Bookmakers impressed with Ascot heroine

Last updated: 18th June 2011   Subscribe to RSS Feed

maybe fort bastion

Maybe proves too strong for Fort Bastion.

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5-2 favourite Maybe was a clear-cut winner of the Chesham Stakes for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore.

The daughter of Galileo was always close to the pace and took a clear advantage two out.

Market rival Fort Bastion (9-2) had no answer to the winner's turn of pace but stayed on well to take second, two-and-a-quarter lengths adrift of the winner.

Self Centred (18-1) finished well to take third.

Sky Bet cut the winner to 8-1 from 14s for next year's QIPCO 1000 Guineas.

Ground worry

O'Brien said: "We were afraid of conditions, but we thought she was a classy filly at home and she was very impressive at Naas first time out.

"When the ground changed we didn't really know what was going to happen, but we always thought she was very smart.

"She's like a lot of those very talented horses - she hits the gates very naturally and travelled very easily.

"Ryan said she got into a lovely rhythm and she was very tough at the end.

"I'm not sure (about her best trip). She won her maiden over six furlongs and obviously this was seven and she got it very well.

"She should have no problem getting a mile, anyway."

O'Brien added: "We think she looks like a Moyglare (Curragh, August 28) filly, and whether she'd have another run in between, I'm not sure."

No excuses

Connections of the Richard Hannon-trained Fort Bastion accepted their horse had been outclassed.

Barry Simpson, racing manager for owner Sir Robert Ogden, said: "He ran really well and handled the ground, but we might have been beaten by an exceptional filly.

"We'll probably do what we did with King Torus last year and go for the Group Two (Superlative Stakes) at the Newmarket July meeting."