Headline News
2yo Filly STAR SHADOW wins on debut at Otaki
Fortuna 2yo amazing track record over the past two years
Des Coppins returns as Guest Selector
Talking of Des – his 2024 Melbourne Cup package has just been launched
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Fortuna has six runners next three days – five in NZ – one in SingaporeMatamata – Friday
HAYATE contests the R65 1400m event – Race 4 @ 2.22pm and will be ridden by Stable Apprentice, Jessica Allen, claiming 3kgs, from the outside barrier – resumed at Matamata this trip 27th March and ran home strongly for 3rd – has taken big improvement from that but does face a tricky gate here – is ready for this but will need luck from the draw – 3kgs does help – showing $7/$2.50 Fixed Odds
Riccarton – Saturday
SAILING AWAY contests the Maiden 1400m event – Race 1 @ 11.50pm and will be ridden by Niranjan Parar, claiming 1kg, from Barrier 2 – a slow maturer, he was spelled in January after 3 race day starts and was good resuming at Ashburton 1200m 4th April, finishing 5th – looking for more ground and gets it here – right in this @$4.50/$1.90 Fixed Odds
ANGELS WINGS runs in the R75 1000m event – Race 4 @ 1.30pm with Ashvin Goindasamy to ride from an outside draw – ran 3rd this grade 1200 Wingatui 17th March – has been freshened for this shorter trip – has a good win/place strike rate – can feature here if she gets luck in running from the wide draw – market have discounted her @$21/$5.50 and seems to be well over the odds at that quote
INCA BELLE races in the R75 1600 event – Race 7 @3.09pm and will be ridden by Niranjan Parmar, claiming 1kgs, from a wide draw – was a good 3rd at Ashburton 4th April at first go at 1600m – has taken big improvement from that and can go one better here – drawn wide, but the big roomy Riccarton track will suit and is very well weighted in this – $8/$2.80
Hawera – Sunday
KHAFEEF contests the Restricted Open Steeples – Race 2 @ 1.33pm in the hands of Michael Roustoby – has had a trial and two flat runs to prepare for this – won over the Hurdles this venue 12 months ago and placed 3rd this grade over the big fences in October – is inclined to over race but if he settles here he is a strong contender to be in the finish
RAGAMUFFIN backs up in the R60 1600 – Race 6 @ 3.50pm with Craig Grylls aboard – was strong to the line this grade 1400m at Woodville 12th April – nice draw, very much in form rider, stable is going well, blinkers go on – will be hard to beat here
Singapore – Sunday
GUN is in the Class 4 1200m Turf event – Race 6 @ 3pm (7pm NZT) – Brazilian rider, Carlos Enrique, will ride from a wide barrier – form has been patchy of late, but has had excuses – has enough ability to feature here if luck favours him from the wide alley and will be at big odds
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Matamata Trackwork – Fortuna runners
Tuesday 16th April
Hayate (W Pinn) galloped over an easy 1000 metres in 1.04.7, home in 37.2.
Singapore Trackwork
Saturday 13th April
GUN( ASLAM)800/600-38; PRINCE LONHRO (ASLAM)800/600-39;
Wednesday 17th April
GUN (CARLOS)600-40
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OTHER NEWS2yo Filly STAR SHADOW wins on debut at Otaki
Making a perfect start to her racing career, Star Shadow (2 f Reliable Man – Scene Queen) won the $35,000 McMillan Equine Feeds 2yo 1300 metres on Saturday 13th April at Otaki.
A sizeable grey filly, Star Shadow had been the beneficiary of five solid trials ahead of her race debut, most recently steadying back from the outside gate and storming home late for second on 28 March at Tauranga and was rated a top three chance from barrier one on debut. In similar style to his recent winning ride on stable-mate Move To Strike (I Am Invincible) in the Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) at Trentham, jockey Wiremu Pinn was content biding his time at the back of a small field and after circling up with more to offer Star Shadow always appeared to have an edge.
“She was a sweetheart to ride and very professional,” Pinn said post race. “She tucked her head and relaxed nicely and when I asked her to go, she went. Kudos to her, she’s a nice filly and hopefully she can press on.”
Although just a half head margin, Star Shadow got the job done on Heavy8 footing, ground that can prove tricky for young horses, and drifted in betting to pay $3.50 & $1.80 on the NZ TAB tote after running the 1300 metres in 1:20.3
Click HERE to see the race replay
Star Shadow became the 15th individual two winner this season for trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson, winning 22 races, including Group One winner Move To Strike (I Am Invincible), dual Group Two and Group Three winner Captured By Love (Written Tycoon), Group Two winner and Fortuna owned Bellatrix Star (Star Witness) – and Group Three winner Star Of Justice (Justify).
“It was a really nice win and a good patient ride of Wiremu’s,” said co-trainer Mark Walker. “She’s a really nice Filly that Dave (Ellis) and John (Galvin) bought cheaply at Karaka. I loved the way she relaxed and finished the race off and she looks to have a bright future.”
2yo Filly “Star Shadow” wins on debut Otaki 13th April – Wiremu Pinn aboard
On course looking after the team at Otaki, Te Akau racing manager Reece Trumper added: “It was a great ride by Wiremu. He is riding a lot of work for us and deserves these opportunities, and well done to John Galvin and his Fortuna Team. We’re thrilled to get another winner for John because he’s a big supporter of all our stables, at Matamata, Riccarton, Australia, and Singapore. I think it probably played into her hands being a wet track. She’s bred to be on rain-affected ground, so that was ideal to see and the way she finished off was good to see and the further she gets, in time, the better she’ll be I think”
Unable to be present on track at Otaki, Fortuna Director John Galvin watched the race from his Hamilton home and loved what he saw. “She was last in the running, but I could see that Wiremu had got her to relax nicely and I was pretty sure she would come right into it in the run home and while the 2nd placed horse, Ballon d’Or, made it a bit of a dogfight closing stages, our Filly got the job done nicely. Big kudos to Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson for how they have handled this Filly – selected by us at the 2023 Karaka Sale as a 3yo type, she showed early Two Year old precociousness, however they resisted the temptation to make her race debut earlier, focusing on making sure she was well prepared before making her debut”
Purchased by David Ellis CNZM and Fortuna Racing for $35,000 at the 2023 Karaka Book 2 Sale, from the draft of Westbury Stud, Star Shadow is a rare two-year-old winner for her sire, who won two Group One races to 2100 metres and whose progeny excel as three-year-olds and upwards.
Owned by Fortuna Star Shadow Syndicate an Ownership Group consisting of 65 individuals, Star Shadow is out of a mare by world-class champion sire Redoute’s Choice, and carries a Northern Dancer cross on the dam line of Reliable Man (Dalakhani) and sire line of Scene Queen
Star Shadow was strapped by Ashley Handley.
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Fortuna 2yo’s amazing track record over the past two years
Remarkably Star Shadow is the fifth two year-old we have sent to the races since May 2022 in NZ and Singapore and every single one of them has won on debut, starting with Malborough Bay at Matamata in May 2022, Rubicon Crossing at Wanganui in September of 2022, Rhett Butler in Singapore in April 2023, Bellatrix Star at Wanganui in September 2023 and now Star Shadow in April 2024. That is quite a remarkable record for a boutique syndicator such as Fortuna
Can we keep the track record going? Well we won’t know until the Spring of 2024 now as that will be when, potentially one or more of our current four yearling Fillies will make their race day debut and note that of those four we still have shares available in two of them – the Spirit of Boom Filly that we call “Boomer” and the El Roca Filly that we call “Meg” – both are nearing the end of their first Stable preps – you can see Boomer trotting up during the week for Mark HERE and Meg HEREAs I say, we still have a few shares left in each – you can read all about Boomer HERE and Meg HERE and orders can be placed directly off those links as well – if you have any questions or queries on either of these two lovely Fillies, just email me or call/text 021 921 460 ===============================================================
Des Coppins returns as Guest Selector
Greetings John and the Fortuna Team
It’s so nice to be back and hopefully the relatively consistent run I’m having with my new email tipping service may assist you all over the next few weeks.
John has asked me to find three horses for the Fortuna Team to follow for the weekend punt – so here we go!!!
Wisemen’s Diva, Race 2 Riccarton.
From a stable that’s going gangbusters at the moment – that of Robbie Patterson- I’d be surprised if this horse can’t back up from its strong finishing second last Saturday to get the job done. Stepping up from 1200 to 1400 should work the oracle. I’d price the horse anywhere between $2.50 and $3 and because it’s a bonus back bet on the fixed odds ( up to $50) a win bet makes total sense.
Pour the Wine, Race 1 EllerslieShe’s a quality 4yo who continues to shine. She won her first three this season and attacked the line to run clearly the best sectionals from the 400 in each of those 3 wins.
At her last start she was brave when running third in the rich Rangitoto Classic not far from the talented runner up Town Cryer, a subsequent group one placegetter. That’s a great form recommendation. She’s a tad fresh and from her position in the weights she’ll the relish the 1200m with moisture in the air and I’d say on this surface which she clearly enjoys she’ll have an army of bettors confident she can get the job done.
Saint Bathans, Race 7.
It may well be a rainy day at Ellerslie and running in the rain is something Saint Bathans enjoys.
He’s been ticking over nicely for this and I reckon he’s spot on to give the Easter field a shake.
His three runs this term have all been solid. He dropped back from 1600 to 1300 last time but attacked the line strongly with the quickest last 600m. Back to 1600m I feel he can give us a great run for our money.
Good punting!
DesAs readers would be aware Des has been running a tipping service for many many years, but in recent times he has changed his subscription model – previously his service was accessed via an 0800 number – that has now changed to a three monthly subscription service at $240 incl GST for each three months or approximately $18.50 per week
– Des provides a seven day service with the Best Bet and the Value Bet Sunday to Friday and on a Saturday, he provides not only the Best Bet and the Value Bet, but also his top two selections in every race on a Saturday – selections are delivered by email – it is a great service and I am a subscriber myself – to subscribe just email Des at dcoppins@xtra.co.nz======================================================
Talking of Des – his 2024 Melbourne Cup package has just been launched
Yes, the famed and long-standing Des Coppins/Sporting Tours Melbourne Cup Tour is underway again in November – Click HERE to see full PDF with all details and booking form – many of the Fortuna clients have been on this tour – some even go every year and all report what a great experience it is – see more below – incredibly Des has been hosting this tour for 32 years!!! – this year will be his 33rd
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