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Other News
Capping a fabulous day for Te Akau Racing, $400,000 Ecycle Solutions Grand National Steeplechase (4500m) winner Leaderboard (11 g Street Cry – Flower Fairy, by Dynaformer) and stable-mates The Mighty Spar (Savabeel) and Prismatic (Savabeel), alongside trainer Mark Walker, made history when becoming the first to ever trifecta the prestigious race.
After the same trio recorded six wins (two wins apiece), and four seconds, from 13 starts over fences last season, Walker, again, had them in terrific form this year, and to saddle a trifecta in the Grand National Steeplechase (4500m) is one of many highlights for the 12-time Champion Trainer, who ticked over 2000 career wins in 2024. Earlier in the day, Walker and training partner Sam Bergerson, took three to race at Taupo, which resulted in Carsolio (Bivouac), To Bravery Born (Snitzel), and In Haste (Snitzel), all winning.
Last season, Leaderboard, the former Wellington Cup (Gr. 3, 3200m) and St Leger (Listed, 2600m) winner, followed his jumps wins by finishing third in the Thackeray Steeplechase (3450m), third in the Grand National Hurdle (4200m), and second in the Grand National Steeplechase (4500m).
While a week prior to the final jumps race of the season, Leaderboard chased well to finish second in the Great Western Steeplechase (3600m) at Coleraine, and given his record of first and second from two course attempts at Ballarat (Victoria), and the services of Will Gordon, Walker was happy with his main charge.
“Leaderboard, I’m really happy with him and he came through his good second in the Great Western Steeplechase (3600m) really well,” said Walker, leading up to the race. “He gets into this race nicely at the weights (65kg). Obviously, Stern Idol is the one to beat and also Noonday Gun is a very promising jumper, but the name of the game is to run out the 4500 metres strongly and with the weight we’ve got and the jockey (Will Gordon) we’ve got in the saddle, that gives him the best opportunity of doing that.”
After camping in second throughout, behind the highly rated to-weight, Stern Idol, Leaderboard did everything right, capitalizing on Stern Idol not seeing out the trip, and Noonday Gun coming to grief at the last fence, before going on to win comfortably.
Click HERE to see the race replay
LEADERBOARD – Australian Grand National Steeplechase – Ballarat – 17th August 2025
Will Gordon aboard
“I can’t really believe it,” said Will Gordon, on dismounting. “I went out there without any pressure, just riding my race, riding the horse, and going down the back the last time I thought, I’ve still got a bit of horse here and might be in the finish. He’s a legend of a horse. Everyone that rides him, or has anything to do with him, just loves and adores him. There will be a line out the door that want this horse at the end of his racing career. He’s such a gentleman, such a dude to do anything with, a great jumper, and what you saw today was no better of example of that. There are no chinks in his armour. He jumps, travels, and I was happy where we were in the run to be tracking Stern Idol. We got easy enough sectionals behind him and I thought he would be vulnerable late. We were able to sit on his tail, conserve energy, and like I said, his jumping was great. He did the rest. For me, the win is right up there. This is one that has been missing off my mantelpiece and to tick this one off, they’re hard races to win, and only come up once a year.”
Leaderboard takes the last fence
From fourth in running, The Mighty Spar kept finding the line for second, under jockey William McCarthy, and Prismatic finished well down the outside, from last, to grab third for jockey Jordan Hart.
“It was a great ride of Will’s (Gordon) and it’s great to see all three horses come back safe,” Walker said. “The girls that strap them, Hayley (Morton) with the winner, Emma (Wilson) with The Mighty Spar, and Lisa (Strike) with Prismatic. They just love these horses and they’re got a dual purpose as well, these older horses, because they help out in the stables by educating the yearlings.”
Owned by Fortuna Leaderboard Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin), Leaderboard was purchased by International Bloodstock agent, Hubie de Burgh on behalf of Fortuna Racing in October 2018 at the Tattersalls Sale in U.Kk for 75,000 Guineas and his 12 wins have yielded nearly NZ$950,000 in earnings.
Leaderboard has now won five jumping races, including four steeplechases from 14 jumps races in Victoria and, remarkably, has finished in the top 3 every start apart from the Brierley Steeples at Warrnambool in April 2025, where he fell
“The win would have to go down as one of the highlights we’ve had with Fortuna Racing,” said Galvin, who also had 14-time Group One winner and dual NZ Horse of the Year Melody Belle (Commands) race in the Fortuna Silks. The big thing I felt about today was redemption for Leaderboard, because he had that unfortunate fall in the Brierly Steeplechase, back in April, but he’d run three very good races since then for seconds. He’d been beaten by Stern Idol in two of those, and today he was able to come out and beat not only Stern Idol, but also the up-and-comer Noonday Gun. It was a huge thrill. The whole race, he was right there and you got the feeling he was always going to be in contention, provided, A, he could run past Stern Idol, and, B, he was able to fend off the grey horse (Noonday Gun).”
“We had two of his owners with us, Shane & Colleen Ivory, and they were here last year, as well, when he ran second. So, it was great for them to be here today and see him win. It’s an unbelievable training feat by Mark (Walker) to get the trifecta, the first time it’s ever been done in the race. While having plenty of international experience, Mark is a relatively new trainer to the Australian racing circuit, and he’s managed to have his three runners fill the first three placings in the most prestigious jumps race in Australia. It’s a great effort and for him, specifically, with Leaderboard. He just loves the horse to bits and has nurtured him over the last few years to create an outstanding jumps career.”
Happy Connections – Hailey Morton (Strapper) – “Tiger”, John Galvin, Mark Walker, Shayne/Colleen Ivory, Jessica Galvin
Leaderboard was strapped by Hailey Morton.
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Guest Commentator – Des Coppins
Des has been on fire this week with his tipping service – from 16 races at the two Saturday meetings, he tipped 9 winners, then on Sunday he tipped out 8 winners from the two meetings, 4 winners from the 7 race programme at Cambridge during the week and then another 4 from 7 at Riccarton yesterday – and note also that Des still has space for the 4 day option of his 2025 Melbourne Cup tour at just $1799 per person – see more below
Greetings John and Fortuna followers
Well done to you John and all connected with Leaderboard’s Grand National.
This hardy old campaigner is an absolute top of the line and versatile thoroughbred. He steps out time and again ready to perform and is seldom guilty of a bad race; an owners dream horse.
The admiration for him is immense , not just with your syndicate members either, but all observers for what he’s achieved over the years.
From being at the top of his game on the flat when winning such prized possessions as the Wellington Cup and NZ St Leger to his many exploits as a jumper, culminating on Sunday with the time honoured Australian Grand National at Ballarat in Melbourne, Leaderboard is Mr Versatile.
To be an accomplished jumper and win at the highest level after a superb flat career is something very special.
Not many horses these days can be at the top of their game both on the flat and over fences.
But of course it does happen and to expand on this topic I’ve listed three stand outs in my time who I believe hit the brief like Leaderboard and a few others over the last 50-60 years.
1. VAN DER HUM:
He won the Melbourne Cup in 1976 in the mud as most of us know.
What many may not realise, however, is that he won 10 races in NZ on the flat in distances ranging from 1600m to 2200m.
In Australia he picked up the Herbert Power over 2400m and ran third in Caulfield Cup, too in the same season. He also finished midfield in the Cox Plate before winning the Melbourne Cup and he ran second in the 2500m CB Fisher Plate behind fellow kiwi, Tom’s Mate.
In the 1980’s as a 10 and/ or 11 year old he won the Rodmore Hurdles at Riccarton, the Waikato Hurdles at Te Rapa and the Hawkes Bay Hurdles.
He then switched to ‘chasing and won the 1983 Rangitkei Steeples and the 1984 Egmont Steeples at Waverley as a 13 year old.
He obviously enjoyed what he did on the track as he lived in retirement for over half his life until he was 30!
2. EIFFEL TOWER :
His 1967 Great Northern Steeples will never be forgotten. For those who don’t recall or are relatively new to the game, the southerner ran off at the water jump early in the race and lost 50 lengths.
He was a fence behind his rivals when rider Bill Hillis did a 360 degree turn to head off after the pack. It looked an impossible task.
I remember it well; I was a weekend stable hand for Colin Jillings and I was holding on to one of his charges Lord Mac ( who was starting in the next flat race) at the landing rise past the winning post where the VIP marquees are mainly these days at Ellerslie; the area where the tie up stalls used to be.
Eiffel Tower steadily made up the ground and was almost in front on the famous Ellerslie hill on the last round and gamely held off a spirited bid by Ringlock.
He also won two Grand National Hurdle races.
Before jumping, Eiffel Tower was also a real gem on the flat, and like Leaderboard, won the Wellington Cup (1965). He also won the Riverton Cup and was also placed in the Wellington Cup and NZ Cup as well as minor placings in one or two of other southern Cups.
3. KUMAI :
He was a weight record carrying galloper who won 34 races on the flat and over fences.
“ A big, gentle giant” as the great man Brian Anderton, who won 24 races on him often said, Kumai relished the mud like no other and of the 34 races, 19 were on the flat and 15 over fences.
Trentham was his favourite track where he won the Wellington Hurdles, the Wellington Steeples, the Parliamentary Handicap ( twice); the Winter Oats, three years in a row, and the Eric Riddiford Steeples.
Van Der Hum, Eiffel Tower and Kumai, three very special horses who did it all both on the flat and over fences in extraordinary long lasting careers and it’s probably fair to say that Leaderboard , while not quite their equal, may not necessarily be too far away from being a modern day version of those super stars of the past.
Let’s hope there’s more to come before Leaderboard’s retirement.
His age (11) is against him to compete in Australia next August ( mandatory retirement there is 12) and as a result if he’s healthy and fit there may be every chance instead that he could return to NZ and maybe head to his favourite Trentham and give the Grant Plumbing Wellington Steeples a crack next winter.
Wouldn’t that be special?
BELIEVE IT OR NOT!
Idle gossip; fact or fiction?
Call it as you like but doing the rounds in recent weeks are topics that maybe closer to the truth than you would think.
1. Pressure higher up the chain is on the industry to tighten the “whip rules” even further.
2. A prominent CD track is gearing up as a land package sale and will eventually provide funds for a new track in the region
3. Another group one race is moving from the CD to Ellerslie
4. An existing group one race from the north is heading to a premier track in the CD
5. At least two elite races on the NZ calendar are set for a down grade because their ratings have not markedly improved
There’ll be excitement on the track this season but off the track not everything may go as well as some would hope!
STOP PRESS – MELBOURNE
CUP BUDGET TOUR
The Sporting Tours Melbourne Cup trip with Lisa Allpress and yours truly is almost complete but there’s great news for anyone keen to join for just 4 days.
You still get the best seating on the Hill Stand overlooking the winning post with the fabulous Flemington panoramic views !
It is amazingly cost effective.
Spaces are limited and the VRC have given us just a week or two at the most to fill this budget quota before it closes.
Check out the flyer and follow through as soon as you can or, if you would like to call me or text on 021 448052 I’d be happy to assist.
Our motto surrounding the Melbourne Cup : “Being There is Everything”
THREE HORSES TO FOLLOW:
LOLLAPALOOZA: the manner in which this lightly raced filly attacked the line in a tidy line up against fellow three year olds in tough going at Taupo left little doubt that she will figure prominently against black type opposition in the spring.
AGE OF DISCOVERY: quite a few runners found the Ruakaka footing hard to manage last Saturday and this bloke was one of them. As soon as he hits spring type footing the winning feeling should return.
CRUNCHIE BOY: I liked the way he ran at Woodville when running second. The trial win before last Sunday’s first up run was stylish. He can win at his next start whether it’s on a wet track as Woodville was or something better. He’s promising.
Good punting!
Des Coppins
021 448 052
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