Securing a race-to-race double for the Te Akau stable rider Opie Bosson, Fortuna Racing’s HAYATE (5 m Maurice – Vamoose, by Admire Moon) won the $17,000 Rating 60 2000 metres on 15 May at Cambridge. No sooner had Bosson guided Hayate’s Te Akau Racing stable-mate Luxuriant (Iffraaj) to an easy victory in the Rating 60 970 metres than he was back in winning action again with the Fortuna runner.

A winner earlier in the season over 1550 metres on the poly track at Cambridge, and subsequently second there at her next start, Hayate had been unable to quicken on Soft 7 footing in the Rating 65 1600 metres on 8 May at Matamata, and faced both a drop back in grade and step up in distance. Given an economical trip on the inner from barrier two, Hayate was away from the rail and improving between runners inside the 600m and drew out to win well after arresting the lead mid-straight. In the race sponsored by Oakvue Lodge/Serenity Park, Hayate ran 2000 metres in 2:04.7 on the poly track and paid $5.20 & $2.20 on the NZ TAB tote.

Click HERE to see the race replay

“She was helped with a drop back in grade to Rating 60 and it was good to get another win with her,” said Mark Walker, who trains in partnership with Sam Bergerson. “Great, too, to get another winner for Fortuna Racing, John & Jessica Galvin and their owners –  they’ve had a great run of wins in recent weeks. She has shown to handle the synthetic surface really well, so should be able to be placed nicely with the upcoming meetings on the poly tracks. It was also good to see her step up and win over 2000 metres, which shows she can handle a middle distance and that too opens up a few further opportunities.”

HAYATE – 4th career win – Cambridge 15th May 2024 – Opie Bosson aboard

A winner on debut in May 2022, Hayate has been a consistent performer and recorded her fourth victory for her owners in the Fortuna Hayate Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin).

“They were similar sorts of rides,” said John Galvin (who was on course to witness the victory), commenting on the piloting by Bosson of the two stablemates in succession. “He bided his time, got them off the rail at the right time and they both won well. Hayate raced last week at Matamata and while she disappointed, the track was probably a bit sticky for her and her trackwork leading into that race had been very strong, so I think it was a clever decision by Mark Walker to back her up a week later, given that she was going to drop in grade and also get up in trip. We now know she can run the 2000 metres and she certainly wasn’t stopping. It was a lovely win and now she’ll be back up in grade, of course. She’s always given us the signal that she’s been looking for more ground and, finally, we’ve managed to get her there. She’s a five-year-old now, but she’s very sound and now that she’s up in trip there is bound to be a few more wins in her as well. She’s quite adept on the Polytrack, so that will provide more opportunities. While she likes sting out of the tracks, she doesn’t like it too heavy. And the Polytrack, as we know, suits those sorts of horses that aren’t necessarily firm track horses but also don’t like it heavy, either.”

Raced by the Fortuna Hayate Syndicate, an Ownership Group of 60 individuals, Hayate was acquired for $80,000 by Te Akau principal David Ellis and Fortuna Racing at the 2020 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Mapperley Stud.

Hayate was strapped by Cooper Stumbles.