Bass said about a month ago that he had to “go back to the drawing board” with What A Winter after his disappointing run in the Grade 1 Gold Challenge that was his last start.
He said yesterday, “I’ll never say he doesn’t stay a mile, he just didn’t run a good mile last time and he didn’t run a good race at Scottsville before that. But he is fine and I’m happy with him and think he will run to his best form.”
However, Bass was not without concern, as he said that although the four-year-old colt’s work had been good he had been tending to shift to the one side slightly.
“I am still concerned about him running his best race, but am happy with him and hoping,” he said.
Bass had no such concerns about Rushing Wind.
“He has been in good form the whole season,” he said. “His last run was a mile and he does give himself a lot to do, but he has proved he is effective over this distance.”
Rushing Wind finished in sixth place, just 1,5 lengths behind the winner, in this race last year.
The upbeat Bass reckoned the six-year-old Windrush gelding was nearing the end of his career.
However, his form this season suggests that he hasn’t lost any of his zest for the game.
