Friday night in Singapore sees five time Singapore winner, EATONS GOLD contest a Class 3 1100 metre event on the Polytrack. While yet to win at Class 3 Level, EATON has always been competitive and from  the nice barrier draw of five, top apprentice Shafiq Rusof aboard and just 52 kgs to carry, he is bound the be in the mix as they cross the line. 3yo Filly, LADY IFFRAAJ gets a chance to improve on her impressive 2nd placing on debut, when she contests the Initiation 1000 metre event on the Polytrack. Unfortunately, she has drawn the outside barrier, so will need plenty of luck to go her way. She carries just 50.5kgs and rider Tim Bell, a recent arrival in Singapore, has already made him mark as a rider of some quality.

In New Zealand on Saturday, 5yo stayer HIGHLY LIKELY journeys to Awapuni to contest the Rating 75 2300 metre event. A gutsy performance saw him win at Te Rapa two starts back and he followed that up with another strong performance in this grade at Matamata, just going down in the last stride. Danielle Johnson takes the ride from barrier 5 in what is a good quality stayers event.

Finally, in Singapore on Sunday 4yo DURAN, who has run three 3rd placings from his three starts to date in Singapore, tackles an Initiation event over 1200 metres on the Polytrack, Drawn out a bit at 10, he will be ridden quietly by Shafiq Rusof, but is a definite top four chance in what he has shown to date in Singapore.

What a weekend for Te Akau Racing Stables New Zealand with the Autridge/Richards Team scoring five wins on Saturday, four at Riccarton and one at Trentham. The Riccarton results featured a strong win by 3yo Filly RISQUE ( By Darci Brahma) in the Listed Armadillo Stakes over 1600 metres an d she has now thrust herself right into contention for the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton.on 14th November, Equally dominant at Trentham was 3yo Colt EXTRAVAGANT  (by Pentire) who won the Guineas Trial in a canter and is now also right in the mix for the 2000 Guineas at Riccarton 7th November. The five win haul propelled the Training Team to first on the Trainers Premiership table with 24 wins. In Singapore of course, Te Akau Racing’s Mark Walker also leads that premiership table so the Teams are firing all round.

First away on Friday 23rd October is SIR DARCI, who has his first start as a 5yo in the Rating 75 1200 metre event at Waipa. This four win Gelding had a strong 3yo year, but a number of health issues curtailed his performances as a 4yo. However, a recent strong trials performance at Te Teko, where he won by two lengths, gives some indication that he may be over his issues and ready for a strong season. Matt Cameron to ride in Race 7 at 4.05 pm.

Friday evening in Singapore, the well performed five time winner, EATONS GOLD, runs from barrier 4 in a Benchmark 67 1200 metre event on the Poly track. To be ridden by leading Apprentice, Shafiq Rusof, who is riding in white hot form, EATON is bound to be his usual competitive self in this event. Race time 3.20am Saturday morning NZ Time.

Singapore on Sunday sees the consistent performer, KING SAVINSKY, start in a Class 4 1200 metre event on the Turf track. A staying type, this trip is well short of his best distance, however he flew home over 1100 metres when resuming 1o days ago and he may give a sight in this event, particularly given that with the 4kg claimer, CK Ng, aboard, he will only carry 46.5kgs. Race 3 at 7.10pm NZ Time.

Finally at Woodville on Monday, 4yo mare OUR DRAHMA QUEEN has her third race day start. After disappointing when favourite on debut at Matamata, she atoned with a strong 3rd placing over 1200 metres at Taupo recently and the 1400 metre trip will be right up the alley of this half sister to the Australian Group One performer,  Suavito. Cameron Lammas to ride.

A run of four second placings in a row and then a a very unlucky 7th last start placing came to an end in Singapore Sunday 18th October when 4yo Mare SECRET SPICE won her Class 5 event over 1600 metres on the Turf by two and a half lengths, her 2nd win in Singapore.  Ridden by Singapore Champion Jockey, Manoel Nunes, SECRET SPICE had drawn wide which presented some challenges given that the running rail was right out, however Nunes settled his mount slightly worse than mid field, worked her closer prior to the turn and then on straightening the mare maintained a strong irresistible run to the line. Click HERE to see the race replay.

Fortuna Director John Galvin was very happy with the outcome; ” Secret Spice is proving a lovely horse in  Singapore; she is still maturing as a racehorse, but is as honest as the day is long and has now won close to S$100,000 for her owners from eighteen race day starts,” he said.

SECRET SPICE is by Sahkees Secret out of the very good race mare Caparison and is raced by the Fortuna Secret Spice Syndicate , an ownership group comprising 26 individuals and was acquired by David Ellis on behalf of Fortuna at the 2013 Karaka Yearling Sales for the sum of $47,500.

The Barrier Gods have smiled kindly on the Fortuna 3yo Filly WINDBORNE (Darci Brahma-Sweet Dreams Baby) in the Listed John Grigg Stakes over 1400 metres on Saturday 17th October at Ashburton. The last start winner of another Listed event, the Canterbury Belle Stakes at Riccarton on 19th September, WINDBORNE will be chasing her third black type success, having also won the Murdock Newell Stakes at Avondale as a 2yo. A very speedy filly, WINDBORNE is using Saturdays race over the 1400 metre trip as a final lead in to the Group One NZ Bloodstock 1000 Guineas at Riccarton on 14th November. She will be ridden again by Rosie Myers, who was successful on her at her last start win.

A solid week of performances by Fortuna runners. At Taupo on Wednesday, there was a lot of interest in the debut run of  3yo Filly, ITS OUR SHOWTIME (Showcasing-Be Inspired), who tackled the 1000 metre sprint without the benefit of having ever been to the trials. From the Ace draw, we were expecting a bold run, but she did race a bit greenly and gave up some ground when trying to go straight ahead at the first bend instead of around it, but regathered and came home strongly to finish 1 nice 3rd; she seems to be a filly with a lot of ability.

Also at Taupo, we saw the 2nd race day effort of 4yo mare, OUR DRAHMA QUEEN (Darci Brahma-Queen Cha Cha). A tad disappointing when favourite on debut at Matamata, but striking better track conditions this time, she was pushed wide on the one turn, but once balanced, rattled home strongly for 3rd placing; 1400 metres next time will be right up her alley.

Saturday at Matamata saw last start winner HIGHLY LIKELY, the 5yo gelding by High Chaparral, contest the rating 75 2000 metre event on an eight day backup. Employing the same front running tactics that he had used to effect when winning at Te Rapa, he had the race won everywhere but the last two strides, going down by a neck. A genuine one paced staying type, he is still maturing and the further ho goes, the better he will get.

Singapore on Sunday saw 4to Mare SECRET SPICE (Sahkees Secret-Caparison) attempt to break a sequence of four race day seconds in a row by winning, however despite a nice run on the rails in transit, rider Manoel Nunes could not find a split for her between runners in the straight and she finished in 7th place, just 2.3 lengths from the winner. She will back up over 1600 metre this coming Sunday 18th October. In the nest race anticipation was high for the debut run of the very promising 3yo Filly, LADY IFFRAAJ ( Iffraaj-Naturo). She had shown a lot in her trackwork and trials and was primed to run a big race from the ace draw. Worked up a bit before the race, she missed the jump slightly in the 1000 metre event and finished up racing further back in the field than was ideal, but nevertheless, showed a great turn of foot to finish the race off strongly in 2nd place, an excellent debut effort.

At the Te Teko trials on Monday, the talented 5yo Gelding SIR DARCI (Darci Brahma-Dominant), a four time race day winner,  put on a lovely display, racing on the speed and drawing away to win his trial by two lengths, He will head to the races very shortly.

FORTUNA’s 5yo Gelding HIGHLY LIKELY caused a boil over at Te Rapa today, staging a form reversal when winning the Rating 65 2100 metre event. Drawn the outside barrier, instructions to rider Cameron Lammas were very clear; “go to the front and lead” were the orders from Te Akau Co-Trainer Stephen Autridge. Lammas executed the race plan perfectly getting HIGHLY LIKELY to the lead and then setting a steady pace throughout the run; however as they turned, the horse did seem under a bit of pressure and was clearly headed, but then the penny seemed to drop and HIGHLY LIKELY found another gear and kicked away in the run home to win easing down by two lengths. Click HERE to see the video replay

FORTUNA DIRECTOR, John Galvin, was not overly surprised by the outcome; “There is an old saying in racing that class is permanent, form is tempoarary and while the horse has been struggling this campaign, I was always sure the problem lay between his ears. The Training Team have done a great job with him in recent weeks varying his work, particularly with a lot of jumping, and to be fair, his last run at the Rapa was not all that bad. I was expecting a bolder race today and we got it,” he said.

Acquired by David Ellis on behalf of Fortuna at the 2011 NZ Bloodstock South Island Sale, HIGHLY LIKELY is raced by the Fortuna Highly Likely Syndicate, an ownership group of 24 people

He doesn’t win out of turn, but invariably tuns a bad race and Friday 25th September, saw 6yo Gelding READY FORTUNE (More Than Ready-Bahira) storm home down the middle of the track to record his 3rd victory in Singapore from 39 starts. running into prize money winning placings 28 of those 39 starts. READY FORTUNE has now accumulated close to S$140,000 of winnings in his time in Singapore.

Ridden by Apprentice R Zawari, READY FORTUNE was slow away and settled at the rear of the field. His young rider improved him along the rails and on straightening, hooked him off heels of the winners in front of him in order to get clear running down the middle of the track and put in a compelling run that carried him to a one length victory margin. Click HERE to see the race replay

Acquired by David Ellis on behalf of Fortuna Ltd at the 2011 Karaka Premier Sale, READY FORTUNE is a half brother to the dual Stakes winner in NZ, RIO FORTUNE (by Captain Rio)  and is raced in Singapore by the FORTUNA NZ Stable on behalf of his NZ based ownership group, comprising 27 individuals.

3yo Filly, Windborne began her classic campaign in perfect style at Riccarton with a dashing display in her season opener.

Already a Stakes winner as a 2yo ( Murdoch Newell Stakes at Avondale November 2014), this was her first appearance since failing in the Listed Karaka Million in January 2015;  the Matamata filly proved far too good for her rivals in Saturday’s Listed NZ Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes to emulate the victory of her sister Darci’s Dream in the event last year.

Windborne ( Darci Brahma-Sweet Dreams Baby), with Rosie Myers aboard  tracked the race leader, Dezzies Dream, owned by All Black coach, Steve Hansen, to the turn and when a rails run presented itself she shot through to win going away by three lengths. Myers was effusive in her praise post race “She relaxed beautifully and she’s a very exciting filly with a great turn of foot”. Click HERE to se race result and Video replay.

Offered for sale at the 2014 Karaka Yearling Sales by her breeders David Ellis and Karyn Fenton Ellis, Windborne  was acquired by Fortuna Director John Galvin for $100,000 and syndicated to an ownership Group of 30 individuals, a number of whom also shared in the ownership of her Full sister, Darci’s Dream

John Galvin was effusive in his praise of her handler’s. “Former Trainer, Jason Bridgman, did a great job with her in her Spring 2yo campaign and then ensured she went for a nice long spell after going amiss in the Karaka Million and since the new Training Team of Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards have taken her over in the late Autumn, their focus has been on teaching her how to relax in her  work and that focus paid off in yesterday’s race, where she relaxed perfectly in the run.”

Windborne will now be aimed at the (Listed) Ray Coupland Stakes over 1400 metres to be run at Ashburton on October 17th and all going well there, she will contest the Group One NZ Bloodstock Guineas at Riccarton November 14th.

Fortuna’s 5yo Gelding OUR RIVER DANCER (Danehill Dancer-Distinctly) put in a tough performance in Singapore today, Sunday 13th September. A last start winner by five lengths two weeks ago, OUR RIVER DANCER had felt the handicappers lash with eight ratings points (4kgs) added. Starting in the same grade, Trainer Mark Walker decided to claim 4kgs by engaging the promising young apprentice CK NG. Drawn 11 from the 1600 metre mark on the Polytrack, there is only a 100 metre run to the first turn. Instructions to the young rider were very clear; go forward and try and lead. OUR RIVER DANCER began well but there were a number of horses inside him also vying for the lead. Undeterred, NG kept pressing on with the horse and finally hit the lead at about the 1000 metre mark. Turning for home, the horse was traveling well, but the swoopers were coming and at the 200 metre mark it looked like he might be collared, but found enough to go to the line winning by half a length. Click HERE to see the replay.

Fortuna Director John Galvin who was present on track along with his wife Jessica, was quick to give praise to trainer Mark Walker. “Our River Dancer has always been inclined to pull hard in his trackwork, so a couple of months ago, Mark changed his training regime with less trackwork and a lot more work on the treadmill and the swimming pool. It seems to have made all of the difference and the horse now boasts two wins, a 2nd, a 3rd and a 5th from his last five starts.”

Acquired for Fortuna by David Ellis at the 2012 Karaka Premier Sale, OUR RIVER DANCER is raced by an ownership group of 26 individuals and his now won over S$68k in prize money.