Fortuna Weekly Round Up 22nd August

Published 22 August 2017

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.

MELODY BELLE wins the $1m Karaka Million at Ellerslie – click to enlarge – Picture courtesy of Race Images

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.

Jasmine on way to Cross Country Gold Medal

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.