Friday Flash – 10th September 2026

Published 25 September 2026

LARA ANTIPOVA – 5th career win – Flemington 12th September 2026
Mark Zahra aboard

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Headline News

LARA ANTIPOVA takes on the boys in the Group 2 Bill Stutt Stakes – Caulfield 27th September

Group One HOWDEN MILE (formerly Windsor Park Plate) day tomorrow at Hastings and we reminisce about Fortuna Racing’s mighty racemare, MELODY BELLE, winning this race three years in a row

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Fortuna has three runners this weekend, two in NZ on Saturday, one in Victoria Sunday

Riccarton – Saturday

ZAFAR contests the 3yo 1200m event – Race 3 @ 1.25pm with Kyle Wilson-Taylor to ride from Barrier 4 – resumed over 1000 m on a heavy 8 this track 29th of August finishing 4th – has taken huge improvement from that race, steps up to a more suitable distance here and gets a better surface – is right in this – TAB says “Fitter and rates highly” – showing $1.90/$1.12 Fixed Odds

COURT OF APPEAL races in the North Canterbury Cup, an Open 2000m event – Race 6 @ 3.14pm with Kyle Wilson-Taylor to ride from Barrier 7 – has had two lead up runs over shorter trips – now primed to run well this trip and will appreciate the firm surface on offer – represents a good each way chance in this – TAB says “likely improver who can do much better here” – showing $4.50/$1.75 Fixed Odds

Caulfield – Sunday

LARA ANTIPOVA looks to frank her last start success at Fleminton two weeks ago, when she contests the Group 2 Bill Stutt Stakes over 1600m – Race 6 @6.30pm NZT with Zac Lloyd to ride from barrier 4 – has had a perfect prep for this – is the only Filly in the field and unlike her last two starts where she was carrying a 3 kg Group One penalty, this race is run at set weights – should prove very hard to beat – TAB says “much better last time and gets in very well at the weights here, go close” – showing $2.80/$1.40 Fixed Odds

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Trackwork highlights – Fortuna Runners

Tuesday 22nd September

Matamata

Riccarton

Zafar (H Durrant) galloped over 1000 metres in 1.06.2, last 600 in 36.8.

Cranbourne

Lara Antipova (L Winks) galloped over 1200 metres in 1.24.7, last 600 in 36.9.

Opunake (F Diard) over 1000 metres in 1.08.1, home in 37.3.

Thursday 24th September

Matamata

Geneva Queen (C Grylls) worked at three quarter pace over 800 metres in 1.00.4, home in 45.5.

Riccarton

Court Of Appeal (T Solomon) galloped solo at three quarter pace over 1200 metres in 1.27.4, last 600 in 38.9.

Zafar (H Durrant) worked in company with Stonybreck (R Rae-Wood) at three quarter pace over 1000 metres in 1.11.4, last 600 in 38.9.

Cranbourne
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Other News

Group One HOWDEN MILE (formerly Windsor Park Plate) day tomorrow at Hastings and we reminisce about Fortuna Racing’s mighty racemare, MELODY BELLE, winning this race three years in a row

By Joshua Smith – NZ Racing News

Melody Belle winning the 2019 Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (now Howden Insurance Mile) at Hastings. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images)

With the return of the Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) to Hastings on Saturday, Fortuna Racing’s John Galvin can’t help but reminisce about his former star mare Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) and her three-peat in the race. The daughter of Commands had a love affair with the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival, winning seven legs of the Triple Crown over three years, including becoming the first horse to sweep the coveted series in 2019.

“I was thinking about it the other day and Melody Belle only raced at Hawke’s Bay seven times, all in Group One races, and she won them all,” Galvin said.

The Jamie Richards-trained mare was also the first horse to win three consecutive Howden Insurance Miles, known as the Windsor Park Plate at the time, and Galvin was proud to be a part of history.

“The first year (2018) Shafiq Rusof rode her,” Galvin said. “We won the first leg (Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy, 1400m) and then we won the second, and there was a temptation to have a go at the Triple Crown (Gr.1 Livamol Classic, 2040m), but the consensus was that she had done enough, so we gave her a bit of a break. The following year she came back and Opie (Bosson) rode her. I think Michael McNab rode her in the 1400m race and then Opie was on in the second leg, which was a pretty solid effort, and she was just so dominating in the the third leg, she careered away from the rest of the field”.

“In the third year, she had been racing in Sydney for a couple of races and wasn’t quite going good enough, so we decided to bring her home. She missed the first leg as a result, we didn’t have time for that, so she resumed in the mile and took that out and made it three in a row (in the Windsor Park Plate), and she went on and won the Livamol again as well. They were incredible days and incredible times, and they were so meaningful to not only myself but also all the syndicate members.”

Galvin is pleased to see the Howden Insurance Mile return to Hastings after a two-year hiatus, following a slip in the first race of the meeting two years ago, with the track having to undergo remedial work before returning to racing earlier this year.

“The Hawke’s Bay Triple Crown has been an iconic race series over the years,” he said. “Now that the first leg has gone to Ellerslie they may struggle to get it back, but it was certainly a great thing for Hawke’s Bay Racing to have those three Group Ones there over that six-week period.”

Bred by Marie Leicester, Melody Belle, was purchased out of Haunui Farm’s 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale draft by Te Akau Racing principal Sir David Ellis, on behalf of Fortuna Racing, for $57,500.

Melody Belle winning the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington. Photo: George Sal (Racing Photos)

She enjoyed a decorated career on the track, winning 14 Group One races, half of which were at Hastings, and she also enjoyed success across the Tasman, where she was victorious in the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington following her Triple Crown heroics in 2019.

Melody Belle retired from the track in 2021 with 19 wins and more than $4 million in prizemoney, with her deeds securing her back-to-back New Zealand Horse of the Year crowns. Melody Belle was subsequently purchased by thoroughbred juggernaut Yulong Investments at Magic Millions’ Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale for A$2.6 million.

Melody Belle’s stakes-perfomed daughter Lyrics ‘N’ Song. Photo: Ross Holburt (Racing Photos)

She has had three foals to date, including stakes performer Lyrics ‘N’ Song, and is currently in foal to Yulong’s resident stallion Growing Empire. With his close association with Te Akau Racing, Galvin is getting plenty of enjoyment out of watching the progress of Lyrics ‘N’ Song, who is trained by Mark Walker at their Cranbourne base. “It has been particularly nice that Te Akau are training her,” he said. “She has won a couple already, including one recently, so she is on the way. Let’s hope she can, to some extent, emulate her mum”

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Guest Commentator – Des Coppins

Greetings John and Friday Flash readers

The curtain has come down on the jumps season and interesting to see an Australian visitor take out the Great NZ Steeplechase in the form of Christmas last Sunday. It’s a rare occurrence to see an Australian visitor win our longest staying jumps race. That’s never happened in our life times in the historic race (ex Great Northern Steeples at Ellerslie until 2020) but the win I guess is payback from out mates across the Tasman for all the Grand Nationals we’ve plundered over there for decades, including Fortuna Racing’s grand galloper, Leaderboard, when taking out the 2025 event

SPRING SURELY WILL SOON\ BE IN THE AIR

I don’t know about you but this continuous wind and rain and giving us these unseasonal wet tracks is becoming something of a bore. I’m ok with heavy tracks between say late May, June, July and August but it’s rather frustrating for us all to see them linger right throughout September.

We’re now on the cusp of serious black type racing for our up and coming types and trainers must be pulling their hair out as they try to avoid lead ups to the group ones, twos and threes on such tough surfaces. Hopefully things will work out for the best as the countdown begins in earnest for some of best flat racing.

For sure the pressure is really on for the formerly troubled Hastings track on Saturday with the running of the group one weight for age 1600. As well as that it’s the traditional curtain raisers for the group one Guineas events at Riccarton with the Hawkes Bay Guineas and the Gold Trail Stakes. Thankfully the weather has played its part during the week with just the odd sprinkling or two.
Let’s hope it all falls into place the way we want it to.

TOP TRACK MANAGER TO DEPART TRENTHAM

I’VE thought that the most difficult job in our business is the job of a track manager. When to water, when not to? Having to deal with erratic weather patterns is always a challenge. This week Trentham’s track manager Jamie Phillips, whose expertise with soil, drainage, grass growing, cutting and the right machinery applications, has always been on cue, announced he will step down from the job.

He’s been track manager for at least 6 years and it’s his intention to spend more time on his own land in the Wairarapa. He will be part of the transition when his successor is appointed and Jamie will be around for the big day, the group one Mufhasa TAB Classic in early December, for his last official post.

ANALYSING THE OVERSEAS MELBOURNE CUP FORM

ITS never easy trying to keep up with the overseas form when it comes to the Melbourne Cup. It surely was a lot easier for ourselves in years past. As I mentioned recently this November is the 50th anniversary of Van Der Hum’s mud splattered win when he beat 11 other NZ trained stayers amongst the 24 runners.

From now until the big day, I’ll give you a bit of a breakdown on the form of TWO potential runners that are earmarked for the race. It may help.

STINGER GRASS, TAB odds 15 to one
By Kizuna ( Deep Impact) from Life For Sale ( Not For Sale)
12 starts for 6 wins and 2 placings

In February this year he won the group 3 Diamond Stakes on the turf over 3400m when ridden by star jockey Christophe Lemaire. He has returned to racing on the cup trail but was kept over a shorter distance (2200m) at group one level in the famous Kinen in his latest appearance and is now on the quarantine path and will race in a fresh state in the Melbourne Cup.

As most of us know the Cup is won by a horse with tactical speed and versatility coupled with strong resilience if, as it should be, a genuinely run two miles. This horse has steadily improved with age and experience. He appears to have done better through the trajectory of longer distances. His big win saw him sit close to the pace and from the 800m sit outside the lead until the home straight when he unleashed a strong sprint to put a buffer between him the rest and easily hold off the challengers.

It’s 20 years since two Japanese runners ran one and two in the Cup, Delta Blues and Pop Rock.
The Japanese inclusion in the race is sparse. Two years ago Warp Speed ran second to the long shot, Knight’s Choice and in my humble opinion, the Japanese stayers are the best in the world.

DEFIANTLY, TAB odds 11 to one
By Kameko ( Kitten’s Joy) from Roheryn ( Galileo)
9 starts for 3 wins and two placings

He has been described as a strong, relentless stayer with deep stamina who keeps improving with each race. Trainer Joseph O’Brien pointed out in a recent podcast in Australia said Defiantly has a “one speed” and somewhat lazy temperament and the jockey has to keep “digging” him to get him going.

He won the Goodwood Handicap, beating 18 other runners, after sitting outside the pace for much of the 2 and a half mile race and in a lung bursting run hit the front for the long run home and won comfortably. He carried 60kgs in that win and drops to 56.5kgs at Flemington.

I’ll highlight a couple more Melbourne Cup bound runners next week.

TRIALS WATCH FR0M AVONDALE TUESDAY

BIZARREBEEL, by champion sire Snitzel out of the super duper, Probabeel, looked the part despite running only 5th her heat over 600m. She was hard held to the line and two year old competitive excitement awaits!

YOUMUSTBEJOKING : is a three year old by Brazen Beau who wasn’t let go when running 5th in his trial over 800m.

JUST A GIGOLO: he knuckled down quite professionally to win his maiden three year old trial over 800m.

AN INVITATION TO JOIN THE EMAIL TIPPING SERVICE

BETWEEN October and December we have a great number of racing carnivals to sift through in NZ with a few bonus meetings from Australia thrown in around Melbourne Cup time. If you’d like to give my email tipping service a try, the next 3 months could well be the very best time.

The cost is $240 for this period and you’ll also get the rest of this month ( including the group one race day at Hastings on Saturday ) as an extra bonus. The offer closes at 7pm today.

The service is extensive. You’ll get the top 2 tips for each NZ Raceday ( 82 meetings in NZ alone), plus a comment on the Best Bet and Value Bet for each meeting.
If you are keen simply email me dcoppins@xtra.co.nz before 7pm today and I’ll respond shortly after.

Good Punting
Des Coppins
021 448 052

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