NZ RACING DESK reports

Melody Belle is back in work with trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards ahead of another Group One campaign.

Last season’s Gr. 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes and Karaka Million winner enjoyed a good break after a Queensland campaign that netted a victory in the Gr. 2 Queensland Sires’ Produce Stakes.

“She had an eight-week spell after returning from Brisbane and has now just finished three weeks’ pre-training on the walker,” Fortuna Syndications director John Galvin said.

“Jamie and Steve will now get her ready for a trial later in the spring, and race plans at this stage are to have her resuming over 1200 metres in early December, then into the Sistema Railway at Ellerslie on New Year’s day before tackling the Karaka 3YO Classic at the end of January.”

Expectations were high for the Fortuna 5yo Mare, ITS OUR SHOWTIME resuming at Ruakaka last Saturday – her work had been first class and she had won a trial at Te Teko in early August, however victory was not to be with her not getting all favours in the run and finishing 7th.

Last Start winner, the seven year old KING SAVINSKY tried hard at the Perak Turf Club (Malaysia) on a heavy track, but 4th was his lot

Three Year old BEAU GESTE trialed at Te Teko last Thursday under very heavy track conditions – many  trainers that were there on the day commented that the track was the heaviest they had ever seen. BEAU GESTE, a staying type was having his first trial as a 3yo over 850 metres, didn’t really handle the track and finished back in the field under no pressure – he will trial over more ground next time.

More sobering news for the Fortuna Team during the week was the fact that our very promising 4yo High Chaparral Mare, DAME MARGO FONTEYN, would need to be retired due to a back issue. Stakes placed and the winner of two races as a 3yo “Cilla” had also run with merit, finishing 7th without luck, in the Group One NZ Oaks. The Team had high hopes for her this season, thinking that as a genuine staying type, she could have had Cups potential. With her pedigree however and her race track performance, she will realise a good price for her Syndicate Members as a broodmare prospect.

On  a brighter note, Fortuna 2yo Superstar , MELODY BELLE, has returned to work to prepare for her 3yo season. This news item below from the NZ Racing Desk.

Top filly building toward 3YO season

Melody Belle is back in work with trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards ahead of another Group One campaign.

Last season’s Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes and Karaka Million winner enjoyed a good break after her Queensland campaign that netted a victory in the Gr.2 Queensland Sires’ Produce Stakes.

“She had an eight-week spell after returning from Brisbane and has now just finished three weeks pre training on the walker,” Fortuna Syndications director John Galvin said.

“Jamie and Steve will now get her ready for a trial later in the spring and race plans at this stage are to have her resuming over 1200 metres in early December, then into the Sistema Railway at Ellerslie on New Year’s day before tackling the Karaka 3YO Classic at the end of January.”

Talking of MELODY BELLE, Sunday 10th September sees the occasion of the Annual Thoroughbred Awards and the filly is one of three nominees for Two Year Old of The Year Award. Fortuna have booked three tables with 30 attendees, so all are looking forward to having a great evening and hoping that Melody Belle’s name comes out of the envelope.

Trials at Cambridge on Thursday 7th sees the Fortuna 8yo CHANCE TO DANCE have his final trial before his NZ Race day debut. The winner of 7  races in Ireland and Australia, boasting prizemoney earnings of $455,000, a rating of 101 and twice placed over the Two Mile trip, “Ted” as he is known, adds some real depth to the quality of the NZ Staying ranks – the Group One Livamol Classic over 2000 metres on 7th October at Hastings is his first primary target in NZ this season.

Finally, one Fortuna runner this weekend and an exciting one as well- 3yo SHAMROCK makes his 2nd career start in Singapore Sunday 10th in the $75,000 Restricted Maiden event  over 1200 metres. Desperately unlucky on debut when squeezed for a run and finishing 2nd, he is sure to give a sight this weekend.

Tuesday 22nd August saw Trials held at Avondale race course and Fortuna eight year old Gelding, CHANCE TO DANCE, who earlier in his career had won in both Ireland and Australia, was having his first official New Zealand outing. One of the highest rated NZ based handicappers capable of running over ground “Ted” as he is known affectionately to his small army of Syndicate Members (63 in all) is being set for the Group One Livamol Stakes over 2000 metres at Hastings on 7th October. This trial was being touted by his Training Team as a “quiet day out” ahead of a second more serious trial at Cambridge on 12th September. It seemed that no one told Ted about the quiet bit though as he bounced out of the gates like a precocious Two Year Old, contested the lead and running 2nd in the end to the smart up and coming mare, DEALS IN HEELS. Click HERE to see trials replays – we are Heat 3. It was a splendid “quiet day out”. A strong performance by CHANCE TO DANCE  at Hastings could see him travel to Melbourne to contest the Caulfield Cup on 21st October – he has also been nominated for the Melbourne Cup in November.

Just to prove that it is not all beer and skittles in this game however, this past week has seen the retirement of the beautifully bred Fortuna 4yo mare, LEONESSA (Pour Moi – Lioness). Plagued by soundness issues during her race preparations, “Hazel” had only one race day start, for an unlucky 2nd. Possessing undoubted ability, her “issues” finally got the better of her and her future will now lie in the broodmare paddock. A shame for her loyal band of Syndicate Members, however her pedigree does mean she will have nice residual value as a broodmare proposition.

In case you haven’t noticed, the country is in election mode. In the last week of Parliament’s sitting the long awaited “Race Fields Legislation” was given its first reading. This legislation is designed to make the International Corporate Bookmakers pay a levy to the NZ Racing Board for the right to publish the NZ race fields and take bets on them. As you probably know prize money for NZ Racing comes, in the main, from a percentage of betting turnover placed on the TAB. However any bets placed on NZ races with the Corporate bookies attract no such percentage. The Australian Authorities dealt with this in recent years by enforcing their own version of this legislation and the windfall for Australian racing has been huge with Racing Victoria alone collecting close to A$130 million in the last financial year. It has been estimated that the windfall for the NZ codes (Harness and Greyhounds as well as Thoroughbreds) could be $55 Million – to put that in perspective, the NZ TAB currently pays out approx $160 million per annum to the three codes, so it is easy to see why this extra income is so important to the industry. Of course, we could possibly see a change of Government come election day, however Labour did support the first reading of the Bill and have “promised” to enact the legislation if they do occupy the Treasury Benches post election. We shall see.

Te Teko trials scheduled for Tuesday 29th August were put off due to Heavy overnight rain and are now rescheduled for Thursday 31st August. Just one Fortuna runner, the 3yo BEAU GESTE ( Pour Moi – Villa Wanda). 

Three Fortuna runners this weekend with ITS OUR SHOWTIME resuming at Ruakaka Saturday 2nd, while READY FORTUNE and KING SAVINSKY race at the Perak Turf Club (Malaysia).

The Singapore Turf Club made a very significant announcement this week about the exciting future for Singapore racing – Fortuna has been racing in Singapore since 2010 with considerable success – Nine Wins for the Fortuna Singapore Team so far in 2018 and our Singapore Trainer  Mark Walker is currently leading Trainers’ Premiership by a big margin.

Enjoy the good news  from the Singapore Turf Club

The Singapore racing industry is on the cusp of a major paradigm shift as it moves into a bold new direction come the 2018 racing season.

To keep the industry sustainable well into the future, Singapore Turf Club is introducing initiatives which will inject much excitement and drive key changes to the local racing scene.  The cornerstone of the initiatives behind this major overhaul will be centred on quality over quantity, and hinged around three major endeavours:

• Right-size the number of races
• Adjust prizemoney to encourage quality
• Reintroduce international races

Right-size Number of Races

To ensure good field sizes and competitive races, 800 races are mapped out for the 2018 season, down from the current season’s 900.

This optimal number of races was derived after weighing up the median number of runners per race versus a projected horse pool of 1,250 horses.

One significant measure which will be implemented from next season is a one-off increase of five rating points for all horses across the board. This one-off increase in rating points will increase the horse numbers in the higher Classes and lower the numbers in Class 5, thus providing sufficient number of horses to enable more higher classes of races to be programmed.

Horses, however, will not be disadvantaged by the five points increase as they will all still be racing against the same horses, carrying the same weight differentials.

The aim is to achieve bigger field sizes (10 to 12 starters) in higher classes coupled with an increase in the number of Class 3 and 4 races and a reduction of Class 5 races.

Over time, this will encourage the influx of better quality horses as there will be more higher class races being staged.

The one-off increase in ratings of horses will be carried out at the end of the 2017 racing season.

Another significant measure to give the racing programme a ‘racier’ edge is to cap race distances at 2000m as Singapore-based horses are more competitive over shorter distances.

With the capping of race distances to 2000m, significant changes to the distances of the feature races will include reducing the distance of the Singapore Gold Cup from 2200m to 2000m, the Emirates Singapore Derby from 2000m to 1800m, and the Raffles Cup and the Chairman’s Trophy from 1800m to 1600m respectively.

Adjust Prizemoney to Encourage Quality

Prizemoney for Singapore races will be adjusted to favour and encourage quality. At the top end, Group 1 and Group 2 (with the exception of the Aushorse Golden Horseshoe) races will carry minimum prizemoney of $1 million and $500,000 respectively.

The two richest feature races, the $1.35 million Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup and the $1.15 million Group 1 Emirates Singapore Derby will remain at that level while the other Group 1 races will be carrying prizemoney of $1 million each. They are the Kranji Mile, Raffles Cup, Singapore Guineas, Queen Elizabeth II Cup, Lion City Cup and Patron’s Bowl while Group 2 races that will be worth $500,000 each are the Merlion Trophy, Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic, EW Barker Trophy, Stewards’ Cup and Chairman’s Trophy.

At the other end of the spectrum, prizemoney for Class 5 races will be adjusted, again to emphasise on quality. Prizemoney for Class 5 races will drop from $35,000 to $20,000. This drop in prizemoney for Class 5 races however would only affect a small number of horses as about half of the horses presently in Class 5 will be eligible to race in the Class 4 Non-Premier races.

Class 4 races will be divided into Premier and Non-Premier divisions with Class 4 Premier races carrying the present prizemoney of $60,000 and Class 4 Non-Premier races (catering to low-rated Class 4 horses) will carry prizemoney of $45,000.

Restricted Maiden and Novice races will see their prizemoney increase from $75,000 to $85,000 to encourage owners to invest more in young quality horses.

The prizemoney changes will take effect from 1 January 2018.

Reintroduce International Races

The Club will reintroduce two international races over the distances of 1200m and 1600m in 2019 and will carry purses of $1.35 million and $3 million respectively.

The two races will be staged on the third Sunday of May, the same time slot occupied by the previous International races, the Singapore Airlines International Cup and KrisFlyer International Sprint. The international races will only be reintroduced in 2019 to allow time for owners to invest in horses that will be competitive in those races.

The Group 1 Kranji Mile race will be brought forward to May and will be held on the same day as the Group 1 Lion City Cup to create an exciting day of racing catering to the top horses in Singapore. The Chairman’s Trophy with a new distance of 1600m will also be brought forward in the first week of May to serve as a lead up race to the Kranji Mile.

Consequently, the races for the Singapore Triple Crown series will be changed with the Raffles Cup (new distance of 1600m) becoming the first leg instead of the Kranji Mile. The Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800) will become the second Leg while the Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) remains as the final Leg.

Mr Chong Boo Ching, President & Chief Executive, Singapore Turf Club said: “We are delighted to present the new racing initiatives that will commence from the 2018 racing season. We are optimistic that with these new initiatives, we will not only improve the quality of local racing but at the same time, increase international following for Singapore racing.”

Well, what a great sporting week it was last week for the Fortuna and Galvin families.

Sunday 13th August saw the promising, 3yo Fortuna galloper, Shamrock (Helmet-Shamobelle), make his race day debut over 1000 metres Singapore. Racing prominently throughout, he was squeezed for room (probably illegally) at the 500 metres mark and had to be restrained and come off heels, but still ran a very strong race for 2nd – there will me more to come from this boy!!!

Monday 14th August saw the Matamata Racing Club  hold its annual Awards night – this consists of a variety of Awards featuring Matamata based Trainers, Jockeys and Horses. As you would expect Te Akau Racing scooped most of the pool with various Awards, but Fortuna Filly, Melody Belle, collected the Two Year Old of The Year Award, beating off Summer Passage and Gold Fever – Melody Belle had a sensational season by any standards, winning 4 times from 7 race day starts – those wins including the Karaka Million, The Group One Sires Produce Stakes at Awapuni and the Group Two Sires Produce Stakes at Eagle Farm ( Brisbane) and collecting almost $900,000 in prizemoney along the way. The 32 Members of this Syndicate have certainly had a great racing experience.

Then on Thursday, it was school cross country day at Te Totara Primary – James Galvin, aged almost seven, ran a creditable 9th place in his Year Two event and than Jasmine Galvin, aged five, collected the Gold Medal in her Year one event. Jessica and John were bursting with pride as you may imagine.

Friday night in Singapore saw the Fortuna NZ Stable to the fore, with the very progressive 5yo Gelding, HIDDEN PROMISE, record his 3rd Singapore win from just eleven starts

Saturday morning saw John and James Galvin attend James weekly Junior Soccer match – James plays for the Hamilton Wanderers Vipers Team. This Team is unbeaten this season and James, never one to let his younger sister upstage him, scored a goal, made two goal assists and defended stoutly, a performance that saw him collect Player of The Day – his 3rd such Award of the Season so far

Certainly a week to remember.

Behind the scenes that Te Akau Training Team remained hard at work preparing most of the Fortuna Team for upcoming trials over the next few weeks. Of most immediate interest will be Chance to Dance trialing at Avondale on 22nd August – his first official trial in New Zealand – he is being set for the Group One Livamol Stakes at Hastings 7th October.

Five Year Old Gelding HIDDEN PROMISE (Postponed-Promissory) continued to demonstrate his ability when notching career win number three in the Kranji D Stakes event over 1600 metres at Singapore’s Kranji race course Friday 18th August. Drawn the outside barrier at the tricky 1600 metre starting point on the Kranji Polytrack, Rider R Zawari elected to go back and had HIDDEN PROMISE loping along in relaxed fashion at the back of the field. Moving up into the race from about the 800 metre mark, HIDDEN PROMISE was widest into the straight, but once Zawari hit the accelerator at the 300 metre mark, “Bart” responded with an impressive turn of foot gathering in most of the field at that point and while second place getter, Big Banker was in for the fight, HIDDEN PROMISE went to the line as winner with a 3/4 length margin.

Click HERE to see race replay

Fortuna Director, John Galvin, expressed great satisfaction at his charge’w win. “This horse really had us scratching our heads late in 2016, not showing us a lot in his trials but apart from his first race where he failed to win prize money, his 10 subsequent starts have seen him win three times and earn prize money in the other seven of those starts. He clearly is a slow maturer and is shaping up as a nice staying type,” he said.

Trained by leading Singapore Trainer, Mark Walker, HIDDEN PROMISE is raced by the Fortuna Hidden Promise Syndicate, an ownership group comprising 29 individuals and was purchased on behalf of Fortuna Syndications by Te Akau Racing supremo, David Ellis, at the 2014 Ready To Run Sale for $65,000 from the draft of Westbury Stud.

The stallion, DARCI BRAHMA, a champion race horse on the track and a top performer in the breeding barn has simply excelled with his progeny in Singapore over the past four seasons and in the current season in particular. In the current season he has presented 33 runners to the races for 16 individual winners and a total of 26 wins, with almost S$2m in prizemoney earned, just over half way through the Singapore season. 4yo ALIBI has been his best performer winning the first two legs of the Singapore 4yo Series and running 4th in the 3rd leg, banking almost S$700,000 in prize money along the way.

The Fortuna NZ Stable has contributed to these 2017 season totals as well with MAJOR TOM (3 wins) and PRINCE DARCI (1 win), both 4yo sons of DARCI BRAHMA

Fortuna now offers for Syndication an opportunity to share in this outstanding success by the DARCI BRAHMA progeny with a strong powerful Three Year Old Gelding (turned three on 1st August 2017) – nicknamed “Sonny”. Earmarked as a Singapore prospect early in 2016, this horse has been taken along steadily in his stable preparations, here in New Zealand, to date. An impressive physical individual (16.1 hands high and 530kgs in weight) Sonny completed his most recent preparation with a strong jump out trial on the course proper at Matamata and his NZ handlers, Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards, declared him ready to travel to Singapore.

Sonny has passed all of the mandatory Veterinary tests for entry to Singapore and will travel to Singapore late September. Once there he will join the stable ranks of Singapore’s leading Trainer, Mark Walker and should be ready to make his race day debut by the end of 2017. Significant prizemoney increases for the 2018 season are about to be announced by the Singapore Turf Club with all Group One races predicted to go to $1million minimum and all Group Two races predicted to go  to $500,000 minimum. Restricted Maiden Grade (which Sonny will be eligible for on arrival) is going to $85,000 – pretty good prize money for Maiden gallopers.

This is an excellent opportunity for potential syndicate Members to acquire a share in a lovely, strong son of a Stallion who has been dominant in Singapore these past four seasons.

Be quick, Fortuna’s last syndication offering sold out in 14 days.

Shares available right down to 1%  

10% share $11,200 – 5% share $5,600 – 2.5% share $2,800 – 1% share $1,120 

Share price includes all Initial Costs – Purchase price, Promoters Fees, Insurance through to 31st January 2019, all transport costs to Singapore and working capital of over $6,000

Monthly Ongoing costs from 1st September 2017 – $340 per month per 10% share – $170 per month per 5% share – $85 per month per 2.5% share – $34 per month per 1% share

Applications can only be made after Investors have perused and signed the NZ Thoroughbred Racing approved Disclosure Statement. This can be obtained from the Syndicate Promoter, Fortuna Ltd (Director John Galvin), by emailing John CLICK HERE or calling John 021 921 460. Visit www.fortuna-nz.com

 Fortuna Ltd is an Authorised Syndicator in accordance with the Code of Practice administered by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (Inc) established under The Financial Markets Conduct (Equine Bloodstock) Exemption Notice 2016. Details of this Offer are contained in the Disclosure Statement relating to the Offer

PEDIGREE

Rising seven year old gelding KING SAVINSKY (Savabeel- Lynisky) proved himself to be somewhat of a globe trotter when winning for the first time in Malaysia on Saturday 29th July. Already a winner in New Zealand as a 3yo and then a three time winner in Singapore, he has now added Malaysia to his list. Contesting the Class 5 1700 metre event at the Penang Turf Club, his 5th start since transferring to Malaysia earlier in 2017, a bold ride by senior jockey S Salee saw KING SAVINSKY rocket out of the gates to take the lead. Challenged mid race by another runner, the pace was hot, but  turning for home THE KING did not flinch and maintained a strong gallop to the line, staving off all challengers to win by half a length. KING SAVINSKY is trained at Penang by ex pat Kiwi conditioner Sharee Hamilton.

Click HERE to see race replays – (Race 3)

KING SAVINSKY was selected and acquired by David Ellis on behalf of Fortuna Syndicators at the 2012 Karaka yearling sale for the sum of $95,000 and is raced by the Fortuna King Savinsky Syndicate, an ownership group of  29 individuals

Well, it took him 12 starts to greet the judge but with some solid recent form behind him, 3yo Gelding, PRINCE DARCI (Darci Brahma-Obsession), in the hands of leading rider, Vlad Duric, was not to be denied and broke through for his first victory on Friday 28th July. Drawn the widest of nine runners in the Class 5 event over 1800 metres, PRINCE DARCI was three wide for much of the race, but Duric didn’t panic, giving the horse a quiet run before easing him into a challenging position as they turned for home and once there PRINCE DARCI was strong in the run to the post to score by 3/4 of a length. Prince Darci is trained in Singapore by Premiership leading trainer, Mark Walker

Click HERE to see race replay

PRINCE DARCI  was acquired at the Karaka 2015 Premier Sale by David Ellis on behalf of Fortuna Syndicators for the sum of NZ$60,000 and is raced by the Fortuna Prince Darci Syndicate, an ownership group of 19 individuals, under the banner of the Fortuna NZ Racing Stable in Singapore