3yo Gelding MAJOR TOM (Darci Brahma – Spin N Grin) made short work of his race day rivals when resuming at Singapore’s Kranji racetrack after a prolonged absence from the track. Starting as top weight in a Class 4 event over 1200 metres on the Turf, MAJOR TOM settled back in the running, with rider R Zawari starting to edge him closer from the 600 metres – he was the widest runner as they turned and over four lengths from the leader, but made a compelling run in the race to the post and won in stylish fashion by half a length at the line in a time of 1.11.o8 on a rain affected track.

Click HERE to see race replay

Fortuna Director, John Galvin, expressed satisfaction after watching the race from his New Zealand home, “We have always had a lot of time for this horse, he seems to be a bit special and unfortunately he went shin sore after his last race, a race that was a lead up to the Singapore Guineas and while disappointing for his ownership team that he missed the Guineas, the break away from racing since the end of March has allowed him to develop and strengthen and as we saw tonight he won with authority over a trip too short for him. He does seem to be a type destined for much greater honours,” he said.

Acquired in a private sale for NZ$80,000 by John Galvin after the horse was recommended to him by Te Akau Racing Stables supremo, David Ellis, MAJOR TOM is owned by the Fortuna Major Tom Syndicate, an ownership Group comprising 28 individuals and races in Singapore under the Fortuna NZ Stable banner – he is trained by current Premiership leading trainer, Mark Walker. Major Tom has now won three of his seven starts with only one unplaced run and has accumulated over S$130,000 in prize money.

In very good news today, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing reports a significant boost to stakes in the new season!

More than $2 million will be added to stakes for the Feature and Premier 2 thoroughbred meetings in New Zealand next season.

The boost for Feature meetings, together with other increases for the 2017-18 season, were announced today by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR).

It will lift the minimum stake for non-maiden races at all Feature meetings to $22,500 and means that the $22,500 non-maiden minimum will apply to virtually every Saturday meeting in the new season.

The increases are part of a $6.5 million lift in funding for stakes for the thoroughbred code, from the New Zealand Racing Board, for each of the next two seasons.

This will produce a 13 per cent increase in budgeted NZTR-funded prize money for the 2017-18 season, which begins on August 1.

It had already been announced that NZTR had committed $3.25 million of the $6.5 million towards funding the $10,000 minimums for the code in the 2017-18 season.

NZTR consulted widely with its stakeholders prior to finalising the stakes schedule and there was widespread support for the proposal to focus on Feature meetings.  There are 94 Feature meetings, including 69 on a Saturday, scheduled for the new season.

“The boost in stakes for the Feature meetings will reward our most progressive horses,” NZTR chairman Dr Alan Jackson said. “These are the horses who will be our future stars and we also want to encourage these horses to target our best meetings.”

The open handicaps at Feature meetings will have a minimum stake of $35,000, up $5000 from the present level, and Rating 85 races will rise from $25,000 to $30,000. These increases will apply to around 180 races.

The minimum stake for three-year-old races at Feature and Premier 2 meetings will rise from $20,000 to $25,000 and the minimum for Rating 75 races at Feature meetings will also be lifted to $25,000.

Rating 65, special condition and two-year-old races at Feature and Premier 2 meetings will be lifted from $20,000 to $22,500.

There will also be a lift in the Iconic Race funding for the New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas and the New Zealand Oaks and increased funding support for the Karaka Million and the Karaka Million 3YO Classic, which will both have a $1 million stake in 2018.

In addition, each of the 17 heats in the Dunstan Feeds Stayers Championship will increase by $5000 with the final to have a stake of $100,000, an increase of $20,000 on this season, bringing the total increase across the series to $105,000. This is part of the NZTR initiative to boost interest in racing and breeding stayers.

The stake for Pearl Series races at Feature meetings will rise by $2500 and the minimum stake for Rating 75 races at Industry meetings and Tier 2 Feature meetings will be $11,000.

Fresh from a dominant winning display on the Penang track Saturday 3rd June, 5yo mare SECRET SPICE (Sahkees Secret-Caparison) backed up Sunday 11th June, this time over 1700 metres and franked her very good recent form with an all the way win, with jockey S Salee making the most of her ace barrier draw.

Click HERE to see the race result and Video replay (Race 2).

A three time winner in Singapore, SECRET SPICE is now fashioning an excellent record in Malaysia, five race day starts for three thirds and two wins

4yo Gelding HIDDEN PROMISE (Postponed-Promissory) scored his 2nd win in Singapore Sunday 4th June with a gutsy win in the Kranji D Stakes event over 1600 metres. Wanting to be handy, rider Shafiq was pushed three wide initially, but took the initiative and pushed forward to sit outside the leader, ZAC ACE, during the run. Turning for home, Shafiq pressed the button on HIDDEN PROMISE and he went to the post a clear winner with a margin of one length back to the second horse.

Click HERE to see race replay.

Now a two win horse in Singapore, HIDDEN PROMISE is fashioning a very good record with two wins and five other prizemoney winning placings from his eight starts

Todays victory capped a golden run for the Fortuna Syndications operation, with four winners in the last 15 days, notably in four different racing jurisdictions, HIGHLY LIKELY in NZ Saturday 20th May, MELODY BELLE in Australia 27th May, SECRET SPICE in Malaysia 3rd June and HIDDEN PROMISE in Singapore 4th June

HIDDEN PROMISE was acquired by David Ellis on behalf of Fortuna from the draft of Westbury Stud at the 2014 Karaka Ready To Run Sale for $65,000 and is raced by the Fortuna Hidden Promise Syndicate, an ownership Group of 29 individuals.

Five Year Old Mare, SECRET SPICE (Sahkees Secret-Caparison) put a good even field of Class 5 gallopers to the sword, sprinting clear in the straight to win by 3 lengths at her home track of Penang. SECRET SPICE who had won three times in Singapore was having her fourth start in Malaysia for Fortuna’s Malaysian Trainer, ex -pat kiwi, Sharee Hamilton. Her Malaysian form had been good with three thirds from her previous three runs. Settling nicely in the run for her rider, S Salee, three back and one off the rail,  Salee mounted a strong run forward at about the 600 metre mark, setting the mare alight to loop the field, the issue was never in doubt once they turned for home. Click HERE to see race result and replays (Race 9)

Fortuna Director, John Galvin, expressed great pleasure at the outcome; “Secret Spice had won three times in Singapore, collecting almost S$130,000 in prizemoney along the way, however she did not settle very well in the Singapore stable environment, so the decision was taken to send her to Malaysia, which provides a more open environment with spelling paddocks etc and the decision has paid off as she has settled beautifully up there and is really thriving,” he said, “I am sure there are a lot more successes in front of her.”

SECRET SPICE was acquired by David Ellis on behalf of Fortuna at the 2013 Karaka Yearling Sales for the sum of $47,500 and is raced by the Fortuna Secret Spice Syndicate, an ownership group of 25 individuals.

Story – Courtesy of the Te Akau Racing Webite

Last Saturday, in the $250,000 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m) at Eagle Farm racecourse in Brisbane, Melody Belle (2 f Commands – Meleka Belle, by Iffraaj) obliterated her rivals by nearly five lengths.

Trained by Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards at Matamata, for the Fortuna Melody Belle Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin), she was purchased for $57,500 by David Ellis, from the draft of Haunui Farm, at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.

Having already won the Karaka Million (Listed, 1200m) in January at Ellerslie, and Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) on 1 April at Awapuni, furthering her record to four wins from six starts, Melody Belle has won her owners $879,203 in prize money, and now favourite ($2.80) for the $600,000 J. J. Atkins (Gr. 1, 1600m) on 10 June.

Virtually assured of becoming NZ Champion Two-Year-Old, a scratch beneath the surface reveals that Melody Belle stems from the famous Belle family: one of the iconic families in the history of New Zealand racing, which has enjoyed enormous success with fillies in particular.

Marie Leicester, who bred Melody Belle, provides an interesting insight into a family started by her parents, James & Annie Sarten, in 1939:

“She’s the second Melody Belle,” Leicester said. “Mum raced the other one [by Taipan II] and she raced particularly well too, so it must be a good name. She won the Te Aroha Breeders’ Stakes in 1975, when it was in its infancy.

“Belle Fox was the first one that mum and dad bred and she was born in ’39. She had two fillies. One was called Belle Time, by Summertime, and the other was Belle Rosa, by Instinct. Dad gave mum Belle Rosa and he kept Belle Time.

“Within our family, we’ve always said ‘Mum’s family and Dad’s family’. They’re all the one family, but we go back to those two mares all the time – the two daughters of Belle Fox.  The older Melody Belle came from Mum’s line, the Belle Rosa line, and this one comes from Dad’s one, the Belle Time line.

“She (latest Melody Belle) traces back to Honey Belle, who was a very good mare. She won the Foal Stakes when it used to be on New Year’s Day at Ellerslie, the Wellington Guineas, and the George Adams Handicap at Flemington, in the late 60s,” she said.

The grand-dam of Melody Belle, Empress Belle (Sir Tristram), left Tsarina Belle (Stravinsky), a half-sister to Meleka Belle, who finished third in the 1000 Guineas and second in the Champagne Stakes as a two-year-old.

“Meleka Belle and Tsarina Belle are both beautiful looking mares,” Leicester said. “Meleka Belle is from the first crop of Iffraaj and it was because we have the mares at Haunui Farm, and she was a young mare, that we decided to use a first season sire.  Meleka Belle won at Taupo, of all places, when I was (Club) President there. She won at the same meeting as Fix (Iffraaj) won, and they were both three-year-olds.

“Melody Belle is her first foal. I sold an O’Reilly filly out of her last year ($100,000). She’s now got a particularly lovely and very correct weanling filly by Not A Single Doubt, which I’m not sure whether I’ll sell or keep, and in foal to Tavistock.”

Regarding the mating of Meleka Belle to Commands, to produce Melody Belle, Leicester said: “I’d always wanted to send a mare to Commands, and every time I saw him in Australia I’d fall in love with him a bit more. I loved his pedigree and everything about him. I thought Meleka Belle was the ideal mare to go to him, and Commands actually died before Melody (Belle) was born”.

“You get fixations about stallions, and with Commands it was (Sir) Patrick’s family on the dam side and Danehill on the other side, so why would you not want to send a mare to him?

“It was a mating I’d always wanted to do, but felt I needed the right mare and thought Meleka (Belle) was the right mare.

“With the mating, I make up my mind where I want to send mares and then discuss with Mark Chitty (Haunui Farm) and we seldom disagree. Then we do a follow-up with a Brain International Limited rating. The Commands – Meleka Belle rating was very good. Anything under 200 is very good and they start off at 100. I think she was about 150.

“She (Melody Belle) has brought tremendous joy to me and her wins have been a real thrill. Even though you sell them, you still see them as your babies and no matter where they go you follow them intently.

“She blew me away on Saturday, as she did when she won the Sires’ at Awapuni. She seems to be able to jump, get a position, and relax, and find another gear when she turns for home. She’s very professional and I couldn’t get over when she came back into the birdcage like an old hack, just so relaxed – as if to say that race is over, what’s next? And her being so relaxed really thrilled me.

“She’s exciting and just seems to do it so easily, and she doesn’t seem to worry what the track is like. That takes me back to Tri Belle, Star Belle and Honey Belle. They could go through it (ground) if it was wet and loose, but not if it was gluey. None of the family could deal with drying, sticky, tracks.

“They say she’s a tough little girl; well most of the Belle fillies are tough. They’ve got that toughness in them and that determination. She’s a good workmanlike filly and tough. They take a fair bit of work and they just seem to relish it.

“The Belle family seems to keep popping up and they give us great joy, and I’m very, very proud of them, but Melody Belle looks to be very good. I could not believe what she did. She just put paid to them. She’s won her last three races, has had virtually a two-month gap between each one and to do that it takes a good horse and it also takes a good trainer.”

Main pic – Melody Belle as a Karaka yearling

Connections were stunned at Eagle Farm today when their Two Year Old Filly MELODY BELLE (Commands- Meleka Belle) won the A$250,000 Group Two Queensland Sires Produce Stakes by a margin of four lengths. With a run reminiscient of her win in the Karaka Million at Ellerslie in January, she bounded out of the gates to share the lead, rider Opie Bosson then eased her into the trail during the race, moved up three wide on the turn and then sprinted away to an ever increasing margin, much to the delight of her small army of supporters who had traveled from New Zealand to witness the race

Click HERE to see race replay

Fortuna Director John Galvin was almost incredulous after the race; ” I knew she had every chance of winning the race, but I didn’t think her win could be that easy,” he said, ” it has been eight weeks since her last run in the Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes and we did have some concerns in the camp because she has only been eating fair since arriving in Australia. I found it hard to fathom her odds in the pre post market when she got as low as $3, but clearly punters were on the mark. It has been a great training performance by Te Akau Racing’s Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards.”

MELODY BELLE will now contest the Group One JJ Atkins event over 1600 metres at Eagle Farm on 10th January, a race worth A$600,000. Purchased by Te Akau’s David Ellis for $57,500 on behalf of Fortunaat the 2016 Karaka Yearling Sale, MELODY BELLE has now won close to NZ$900,00o for her connections, an ownership group of 32 individuals.

History was made at Te Rapa on Saturday 20th May when the Fortuna 6yo HIGHLY LIKELY (High Chaparral-Starrinka), led all the way to take out the Neil Treweek Maiden Steeplechase over 4000 metres. History on two fronts, firstly it was the first win by a Fortuna horse in a Steeples event and secondly, it was the first time that a Fortuna NZ trained horse had won for any other stable other than Te Akau Racing. A four time winner on the flat for the Te Akau team, Highly Likely (aka “Gringo”) had been transferred to the Kevin Myers Stable last  November in order to pursue a jumping career. A natural front runner, Gringo led all the way in yesterdays event and rider Shaun Fannin (NZ’s Champion Jumps Jockey) was very complimentary about his performance saying “there is a lot more to come from this horse”.

Click HERE to see race result and replay

Purchased by David Ellis on behalf of Fortuna at the 2012 NZB South Island Sale (where he was the sales topper at $80,000), Highly Likely is raced by the Fortuna Highly Likely Syndicate, a grouping of 20 individuals.

Seven year old gelding, Chance To Dance, ran gallantly in the re run of the Group One A$2m Sydney Cup at Royal Randwick on Saturday 22nd April. Having run “second” in the same event on April 8th, which was declared a “no race” by the Stewards, the challenge for Chance to Dance (Teofilo-Crystal Ballet) was could he back up with a two week gap over 3200 metres on a Testing heavy 8 track? Settled on the rail mid field by rider Christian Reith, off a very steady tempo set by tear away leader Lasqueti Spirit, Chance to Dance started to come into the race from about the 800 metre peg, when Reith got him off the rail and onto the back of eventual race winner Polarisation and as the field turned for home, the horse looked to be coming into the race strongly before tiring the last 100 metres to finish in 5th place. “That was a super effort” declared his rider, “he tried his heart out, but was running on empty the last 120 metres.”

Fortuna Director, John Galvin, who was on track along with Jessica Galvin and seventeen syndicate Members was philosophical about the result. “It was a great effort by the horse,” he said, “it was always going to be a hard ask to run two 3200 metre races two weeks apart, particularly on such testing ground. His best form has been on Good/Dead tracks and we are very proud of the effort he put in today.”

Chance to Dance, who was acquired by John Galvin at the Inglis Chairmans Sale on March 29th for A$260,000 picked up A$50,000 for his fifth placing. The horse will now travel back to New Zealand for a well earned break. “The plan was always to bring him back to NZ once he had completed his Autumn campaign here in Australia,” said John Galvin. “He will parade at our Owners Day at Matamata on April 30th, then have a good four or five weeks in the paddock at Te Akau Stud before resuming work early June and after trialing at Te Teko in August, we will map out some firm plans for his 2017/18 season and all options, be they contesting the Two Mile races in NZ or bringing him back to Australia to race, are on the table for consideration.”

The Chance to Dance Syndicate comprises 66 parties, all of whom are existing Fortuna clients.

FORTUNA NEWSLETTER

25 September 2017

Fortuna’s CHANCE TO DANCE  winning Karaka Classic Sunday 24th September 2017  – Opie Bosson in the saddle

In this Newsletter

• CHANCE TO DANCE brilliant on his NZ debut – winning Karaka Classic at Pukekohe

• KING SAVINSKY makes it six career wins after wining in Penang

• MELODY BELLE wins Champion Two Year Old of the Year Award

• BURGUNDY – an up and coming Sire to watch

• FORTUNA’s Burgundy Filly – is she a star in the making? Stll a few shares left

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CHANCE TO DANCE brilliant on his NZ debut – winning Karaka Classic at Pukekohe

Denied the opportunity to race in the Group One Windsor Park Plate at Hastings on Saturday, the 8yo Irish Bred Gelding, CHANCE TO DANCE (Teofilo-Crystal Ballet) seized the moment  the following day with victory in the Karaka Classic (Listed)  at Pukekohe. Fresh up over 1600 metres and carrying top weight of 60kgs under Handicap conditions on a Heavy 10 track, CHANCE TO DANCE certainly looked vulnerable, as a Fixed Odds Price of $18 on the morning of the race would attest to. Ridden by Opie Bosson, the horse jumped nicely from a good draw and raced mid field, Bosson resisted the option of going wide on the turn, content to stay one out from the rail and wait for openings  to come in the run home. The gaps opened and Bosson urged his willing mount between two horses with just 50 metre to go and prevailed on the line by a neck.

Click HERE to see the race result and replay.

Fortuna Director John Galvin accompanied by more than 30 ecstatic owners was glowing after the race. “This horse has always had a bit of quality about him based on his very good Irish and Australian form – he has thrived here in New Zealand under the new Training Team and we think he has a lot more to give us yet.”

Holding nominations for both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, the next race for CHANCE TO DANCE will race next in the Group One Livamol Classic (2040 metres) at Hastings on 7th October, giving his Trainers, Te Akau Racing’s Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards a strong hand to play in that event, given that they also train race favourite, Gingernuts. “Ted” as CHANCE TO DANCE is nicknamed, will be ridden by Leith Innes in the Livamol Classic

CHANCE TO DANCE, formerly owned by Lloyd Williams, was acquired by David Ellis on behalf of Fortuna on the recommendation of Fortuna’s Singapore Trainer, Mark Walker, at the Inglis Chairmans Sale in Sydney in April 2017 for A$260,000. He had his first start in the first running of the 2017 Sydney Cup finishing 2nd in the race, only to find the the race had been declared a “no race” by the Stewards. He finished 5th in the subsequent re-run two weeks later. He is now the winner of eight races from just 29 starts and has career earnings of close to $500,000. He is raced by the Chance to Dance Syndicate, an ownership group of 78 individuals.

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KING SAVINSKY makes it six career wins after winning in Penang Saturday 23rd September

Seven Year Old Gelding KING SAVINSKY (Savabeel-Lynisky) led all the way on his home course of Penang in Malaysia. Beautifully rated in front by S Salee, he held on bravely on very heavy track conditions to score his sixth career win, including successes in New Zealand (one), Singapore (three) and Malaysia (two).

KING SAVINSKY is trained at Penang by ex-pat Kiwi conditioner Sharee Hamilton.

Click HERE to see race replays – (Race 5)

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

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Melody Belle Crowned Champion Two Year Old of The Year

Fortuna’s MELODY BELLE  in action at Eagle Farm – Group Two Sires Produce Stakes  27th May 2017 – Opie Bosson in the saddle

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BURGUNDY – an up and coming Sire to watch

BURGUNDY
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FORTUNA’s Burgundy Filly – is she a star in the making? Still a few shares left

“Lisa” – Burgundy – Spin ‘N Grin 2yo Filly

Contact John by email or call/text 021 921 460 if you would like to be invoved in this stunning filly.

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Contact John by email HERE or call/text John 021 921 460