Fortuna Race Mare, COURT OF APPEAL, records her 3rd career win – Riccarton 11th Sept 2025 with Bruno Queiroz aboard
All over from the outset, Court Of Appeal (5 m Eminent – Katy O’Beel, by Zabeel) resumed with a dominant victory in the $18,500 Betavet Rating 75 1600 metres on 11 September at Riccarton. Having remained back after missing the start when trialling on 19 August at Ashburton, any fears were averted immediately as Court Of Appeal flew the gates to lead easily, in what became the winning of the race. Ridden by Bruno Queiroz, who has recorded seven wins from 18 rides and a strike rate of 2.5 with trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson, Court Of Appeal dictated soft early sectionals before striding more freely from the 800m and she quickened away in the straight to win by two lengths.
It was an excellent resumption by a mare with genuine staying bloodlines, and holds a nomination for the $450,000 New Zealand Cup (Gr. 3, 3200m) on the final day of Cup Week (16 Nov.) at Riccarton. Having her first start on the poly-track, Court Of Appeal ran the 1600 metres in cruisy 1:37.2 and paid $4.00 & $2.20 on the NZ TAB tote.
Click HERE to see the race replay
“It was a really good win, today, and a lovely ride of Bruno’s,” said Mark Walker, training partner with Sam Bergerson.“She’s been a bit tardy out of the gates lately, but he’s a great barrier rider and got her away cleanly to lead and it was great to see her win the way she did. Hunter (Durrant) and the team have got the horses looking well in our stables down there at Riccarton, and getting good results for us in the South Island. She’s was always going to take time to mature, on pedigree, and that will hopefully keep coming to the fore this year and next. We’re certainly looking forward to seeing what she can achieve this season.”
Court Of Appeal – 3rd career victory – Riccarton 11th Sept 2025
Bruno Queiroz aboard
Purchased for $20,000 by David Ellis CNZM and Fortuna Racing from the Karaka 2022 Book 2 Sale, from the draft of Brighthill Farm, she is owned by Fortuna Court Of Appeal Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin), an ownership group consisting of 53 individuals
“I think she put a stake in the ground today, by winning fresh-up over a mile when she’s a genuine staying type,” John Galvin said. “I know she was favourite, but there seemed a few things against her: fresh-up off a long break, track, mile, that sort of thing. The start of the race looked a bit awkward, but she got the best of it to lead. It was a lovely ride by Bruno (Queiroz) and she just had too many guns. She has been a bit tardy to begin previously and seemed on the back foot when the gates opened, but Bruno took remedial action and urged her on.”
“She has trained and done most of her gallops on the poly-track down there, so she’s not unfamiliar with the synthetic surface. She’s really blossomed down in the South Island, and I think it’s the right place for her at present. She seems to appreciate the more relaxed setting at Riccarton. Her main targets will be the Metropolitan Handicap and New Zealand Cup down there in November. And a great decision made by Mark and Sam to send her South – they are great judges”
Regarding the purchase of Court Of Appeal, Galvin said: “The buying instructions were that we wanted to buy a staying type from Book 2 at Karaka, and we were expecting to pay quite a bit more than the $20,000 she sold for. Eminent, the sire, is yet to make a decent mark with his progeny, but he clearly has staying pedigree credentials, and anything out of a Zabeel mare, you’re always a chance.
“We’ve had some pretty good results on the poly-tracks this year. It provides so many opportunities for horses at this time of the year that otherwise may not be racing because they don’t handle wet and heavy tracks. It keeps the betting turnover going, keeps prize money flowing to the owners, and a horse like Court Of Appeal doesn’t really handle heavy tracks.”
Brighthill Farm stallion Eminent, a Group Two winner and dual Group One placed son of peerless racehorse and sire Frankel (Galileo) – currently leading the TRC Global Sires Rankings – was trained by Sir Mark Todd and owned by Sir Peter Vela. From the first crop by Eminent, Court Of Appeal is out of a mare that won three times to 2200 metres, in turn from sensational staying mare Katy Keen (Zorro’s Lad), a Group Two and Group Three winner that won 10 times to 2500 metres.
Court Of Appeal is the second winner from Katy O’Beel, following Enright (Power), a three-time winner to 2100 metres.
Interestingly, and not be taken lightly, the win by Court Of Appeal was recorded almost a year to the day that she won her Maiden over 1400 metres on 13 September last year, reaffirming traits of horses peaking at similar times of the year.
Court Of Appeal was strapped by Ruby Rae-Wood.