Fortuna has two runners in NZ and one in Singapore Saturday 26th October
New Zealand
Polaris races at Matamata in the Maiden 1200m – Race 4 @2.23pm – made a nice debut for a close-up 4th at Taupo 6th Oct – has taken a big improvement from the run – gets a lovely draw, track conditions to suit and Danielle Johnson aboard – represents as a strong each way chance here.
Leaderboard contests the Spring Classic over 2000m at Riccarton – Race 10 @ 4.58pm – on a path towards the New Zealand Cup 13th Nov, he was slightly disappointing at this trip, this track on 2 October, however his work has been good and we are expecting improvement – a genuine staying type – if back to his best, will be running on strongly at the finish.
Singapore – Saturday
King Arthur contests the class 4 1200m polytrack event – Race 8 @8.30pm NZT – a smart last start winner in Maiden grade he steps up to class 4 grade here – he has a slightly tricky barrier draw to deal with but has a very experienced rider in CC Wong aboard – quite capable of handling the rise in class and provided he gets luck in the running is a top four chance
KING ARTHUR winning in Singapore – Shafiq Rusof aboard
Fortuna Horse Trackwork Matamata
Tuesday 19th Oct
Navalha (R Khan) galloped over an easy 800 metres in 54, home in 38.5
Thursday 21st Sept
Mohawk Brave (D Johnson) and Ragamuffin (N Parmar) galloped over 800 metres in 53.4, home in 38.6.
Other News
New Zealand jumpers will be running for significantly better stakes next year – this is great news indeed and significant to note the contribution from Auckland Thoroughbred Racing (ATR) toward this
Maiden jumps races, most of which were run for $10,000 this year, will be worth $20,000 in 2022, with restricted open stakes rising from $20,000 to $30,000 and prestige jumping races run for a minimum of $60,000.The stakes for the Great Northern Hurdle and Steeplechase have been lifted from $125,000 to $150,000 and there will be no nomination or acceptance fees for feature jumping races.
Total stakes for jumpers will rise from $2.25m this year to $2.83m.The stake increases have been partly funded by a generous contribution from Auckland Thoroughbred Racing (ATR), which has committed to providing $3 million over the next five years.
ATR will provide $300,000 a year, for five years, towards the jumping stakes and $1.5m towards the reconstruction of the Te Aroha racetrack, which will replace Ellerslie as New Zealand’s premier jumping venue.
“We appreciate the significant support from Auckland Thoroughbred Racing for these initiatives,” New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) Chief Executive Bernard Saundry said.
ATR Chairman Doug Alderslade said that while Ellerslie would no longer host jumps racing, the club believed it was important that the jumpers continued to have a place on the New Zealand racing calendar.“The jumpers have been a valued part of Ellerslie’s history and we want jumps racing to thrive in the future,” he said.
NZTR expects to hold up to 90 jumping races next year, mostly in the North Island, with jumps racing in the South Island confined to the Grand National meeting at Riccarton Park.NZTR will also engage with the jumps community, as the industry emerges from the Covid pandemic, to progress the following opportunities:
Leading jumps trainer Kevin Myers described the stake increases as very good news.“It’s not an easy game and all incentives help,” Myers said. “This means that another $580,000 will be spread amongst the owners, trainers and riders. And I’m pleased the Grand National meeting will continue.”
Te Aroha will become the key jumping venue in the northern area, once the track renovation has been completed, and the KS Browne Hurdle, McGregor Grant Steeplechase, Pakuranga Hunt Cup and the Great Northern Hurdle and Steeplechase will be staged there.NZTR will consolidate the venues required for jumps racing to Te Aroha, Rotorua, Te Rapa, Whanganui, Awapuni, Hastings, Trentham, Hawera and Riccarton.
“On behalf of NZTR thank you to all participants for their ongoing commitment to jumps racing,” Saundry said.“Our collective challenge must focus on increasing the number of owners, horses, and jockeys to sustain this feature of our winter racing, which has a long history that has provided entertainment and employment for thousands of New Zealanders.”
Cup Week in Canterbury to have Limited Attendees due to Covid Restrictions
The Canterbury Jockey Club has announced that due to the ongoing uncertainty around COVID-19 restrictions and the rules for operating under COVID-19 Alert Level 2, the difficult decision to restrict attendance to 2000 people a day for the New Zealand Cup Meetings has been made.
Alert Level 2 restrictions currently apply to the Canterbury region and are likely to remain in place at the time the New Zealand Cup Meeting is held at Riccarton in early November, encompassing Saturday 6th, Wednesday 10th and Saturday 13th.
The Club will have areas available in compliance with the COVID-19 Alert Level 2 measures for owners of horses competing at the meeting, members of the Canterbury Jockey Club, and event sponsors.
Should demand for attendance not be exhausted by these key stakeholders, limited seated tickets may be available for sale via the Riccarton Park website.
“We know this news is disappointing and will result in a very different New Zealand Cup Meeting to what we normally enjoy, however we are committed to complying by the current restrictions imposed to ensure the health and safety of all our valued stakeholders while allowing us to continue to hold this important calendar of events, albeit in a limited capacity,” a statement from the Club read.
“Our planning will enable attendance of 2000 people on each of the three days and is a significant reduction from the sell-out crowd of 15,000 people at last year’s New Zealand Cup Day.”
Priority attendance provisions will be in place for owners with horses in the feature races, with the Club to make direct contact with owners regarding their options when the fields are drawn.
Members will be contacted directly via email and will be required to pre-register their interest in attending The Canterbury Jockey Club New Zealand Cup Meetings by Friday 22 October 2021.
New Singapore Opportunity
Last week, we told you about our new Singapore opportunity, the 3yo Gelding “ROCKY” by El Roca – Then on Sunday in Hong Kong, Lucky Patch (by El Roca) won the feature race of the day the Group 2 Sprint and is now one of then favourites to win the Hong Kong Sprint (a HK$24m race) in December. El Roca (who stands at Westbury Stud) has really made his mark in HK with 4 runners to race there, all 4 have won and collected 10 race wins between them. Click HERE to see the win by Lucky Patch
And here below is the info on “ROCKY” – 60% sold – 40% still available
As you may be aware, our record in Singapore with “tried horses” in recent times is simply outstanding – of the 8 sent in the last three years, who have raced to date, 7 of them have won and all up have won 22 races between them and collected close to S$1m – our clients love the regularity of the wins (16 so far in 2021 and Fortuna is 2nd on the Singapore Winning Owners list) – one client who is in many of our Singapore horses emailed me recently to say – “John, almost every 2nd week this year, you have sent me prizemoney – its just like getting the pension!!!”
Two weeks ago, we acquired for Singapore racing, a 3yo Gelding named “ROCKY” – by the emerging young Stallion, El Roca, from the Gavelhouse online auction – notable the $50k we paid for this horse was the sales topping price – however Rocky was sold at the 2020 Ready To Run Sale for $80,000 and in January David Ellis paid $200k for his full brother at the Karaka Yearling Sale!!
“Rocky” is a beauty, a real handsome, athletic type standing 16.1 hands and weighing 520kgs. Mark and I were really taken by his trial at Avondale in May and he has passed his Singapore Turf Club Vet test with flying colours – read all about him below –
About Rocky
ROCKY has been identified by Champion Singapore Trainer, Mark Walker as an ideal type for Singapore Racing. Now a Three Old Gelding, ROCKY is unraced but was prepared by NZ Trainer Richard Collett for a trial at Avondale in May 2021, where he finished 2nd, beaten a head. John Galvin acquired ROCKY at the October 2021 Gavelhouse Online Sale for NZ$50,000. This after conducting due diligence including the horse passing the required Veterinary Test for the Singapore Turf Club
ROCKY is now in work at Paul Pertab’s property near Matamata where he is being given a preparation for a trial in December ahead of travel to Singapore in early January – after exiting quarantine in Singapore, he will be prepared to race by Fortuna’s Singapore Trainer Mark Walker and should be ready to have his first race in Singapore late March 2022.
ROCKY – By EL ROCA out of ANTHOLOGY
Pedigree
ROCKY possesses a very strong pedigree. He is by the young Stallion, El Roca, who is making his mark as a Sire with 71 winners to date on both sides of the Tasman, from just three crops racing. ROCKY’S Dam, Anthology (by Encosta de Lago) raced in NSW for three placings and is a daughter of the exceptional sprinting Mare, the Group One winning (ARC Railway) Iamananabaa – this her first living foal.
Click HERE to view ROCKY pedigree
Physical type
A strong, handsome, athletic Bay Gelding, standing 16.1 hands high and weighing 520kgs, ROCKY is hard to fault physically – he passed his Singapore entry Vet examination performed on 1st October 2021 with flying colours. Click HERE to see ROCKY parading 25th September
Background
ROCKY was bred by Westbury Stud Principal Gerry Harvey and sold at the NZB 2020 Ready to Run Sale for $80,000 to connections associated with the Macau Jockey Club – sent to Richard Collett for a training preparation, he trialed at Avondale 11th May 2021, finishing 2nd by a head after running very greenly in the run home. Click HERE to view this trial (green and gold silks)
Trainer’s view (Mark Walker)
“This horse caught my eye with a strong trial at Avondale in May where he showed good gate speed and would have won the trial easily except for the fact that he was a bit green. I have since seen his walking video and he impresses me as a very athletic type who is physically correct with a lovely walk. He has size and scope and has Vetted perfectly. He is from a strong family and so possesses all of the characteristics to be successful here in Singapore.”
Syndicator’s view (John Galvin)
“Mark Walker and I were really taken with this horse, he trialed well, is an imposing physical type, was given a big thumbs up by our Vet and we were fairly determined to secure him and set a budget of $70,000 to do so – we secured him for $50,000 after a bit of a tussle with his Trainer who was keen to retain him and it was notable that he was the sales topper by a considerable margin at this sale – also notable that he was sold at the 2020 Ready To Run Sale for $80,000 and that David Ellis paid $200,000 to secure his full brother at the 2021 Karaka Book One Sale”
Disclosure Statement
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Terms
Shares can be ordered directly off the Fortuna website – Click HERE – or just email me or call/text 021 921 460 if you need more info or assistance