MELODY BELLE soars to a career best rating of 114 after her 7th Group One Victory in the Tarzino Trophy – to put that in perspective, the next highest rated horse in NZ is Bostonian at 108 – 6 points or 3kgs below Melody Belle

Talking of Melody Belle, click HERE to see her footage of her being sold at Karaka Premier Sale 2016

Tarzino Trophy Day – Hastings 31 August

Richards climbs world trainer rankings

Te Akau trainer Jamie Richards has become the highest ranked (21st) New Zealand trainer in the Thoroughbred Racing Commentary Global Rankings, following the Tarzino Trophy win by Melody Belle. Akin to the ATP tennis tour rankings, or PGA Golf Tour rankings, the TRC Trainer Rankings are the measure of achievement over a rolling three-year period, based not on prize money but the quality of performances by their horses in Group and Graded races. Racing Post Ratings (RPRs) are used to help calculate the merit of every performance. Broadcaster and jockey agent Aiden Rodley said: “It could be the highest any New Zealander has got in the trainer rankings, or at least anyone training out of New Zealand has got.

Fortuna Matamata Trackwork – Week ending Friday 6^th September

Tuesday 3^rd September – Leaderboard (M McNab) also worked at three quarter pace over 1000 metres in 1.14, home in 45.3

Thursday 5^th September – Preparing to make his NZ raceday debut soon, Leaderboard (M McNab)  galloped over an easy 1000 metres, last 600 in 41.5. Ronaldo’s Dream (D Montes de Oca)) worked at three quarter pace over 1000 metres, last 600 in 45.

Fortuna Runners Coming Up

Runners this weekend for Fortuna are HIDDEN PROMISE (race 1) and SPOKESMAN (Race 4) in Singapore on Sunday 8th. HIDDEN PROMISE is in great form, was very unlucky last start after getting held up for a couple of strides in the run home, has to overcome an outside draw, but if he jumps well and races on the speed, he will be strong winning chance. SPOKESMAN, in great form winning his last race by 6 lengths, also has to overcome an outside draw, but as with Hidden Promise, he will be ridden positively out of the gates and is a strong each way chance if he can make the lead.

Upcoming Fortuna trialists

Avondale Tuesday 10th sees RED JAKKAL trial for the second time this preparation.

NZ Thoroughbred Racing Horse of The Year Awards 

Ellerslie Function Centre Sunday 8th September

Melody Belle has been nominated in two categories, Champion Sprinter/Miler  and Champion Middle Distance  and is an odds on favourite to collect the supreme Horse Of The Year title – can she do it?

A group of 50 people comprising Syndicate Members plus family and friends will be dressed up in their finery at this glittering affair, hoping that she can

The “Belles” were ringing at Hastings race course on Saturday 31 August when one race after Fortuna Mare, MELODY BELLE had won the Group One Tarzino Trophy in dramatic fashion in the hands of Michael McNab, her Fortuna Stablemate BURGUNDY BELLE (Burgundy – Spin N Grin) won the Rating 72 1300 metre event, also in very stylish fashion.

Drawn perfectly in barrier 4, the 4yo Mare jumped well and rider Michael McNab soon had her in a good spot, one off the rail just off the leaders. Traveling sweetly in the run, McNab angled to the middle of the track as they turned for home – in the meantime race leader Tavis Court had gone for broke, putting 3 lengths on the rest of the field with 3oo metres to go and was looking like a certain winner. Burgundy Belle was gathering a full head of steam however and, gradually reeling the leader in, hit the lead in the shadow of the post, winning by a neck on the line

Click HERE to see Race result and Video Replay

Burgundy Belle brilliant at Hastings 31st August 2019

Fortuna Syndicate Manager, John Galvin, was a very happy man post race – “I had left the Winners Circle room with the Tarzino Trophy in my hands after celebrating MELODY BELLE’s win and was only able to watch the race from the birdcage – it’s a bit hard to jump up and down with excitement when you are holding a heavy trophy, but BURGUNDY BELLE was superb today and with four wins from eight starts, she is certainly going places – well done to Jamie Richards and his Te Akau team as this Mare has not been without issues at times, but a patient approach is now paying dividends.”

Burgundy Belle was acquired by John Galvin as a yearling in a private sale for  from her Breeders David Ellis and Karyn Fenton Ellis and is one of number of successful acquisitions made by John from David and Karyn. “It’s been quite amazing really,” says John, “over the years Fortuna has successfully raced Darci’s Dream, Windborne, Jacks Secret (Singapore), Major Tom (Singapore), Colorado Prince and now, Burgundy Belle – all horses bred by David and Karyn and acquired by Fortuna.”

Now the winner of four races from eight race day starts and never finishing out of the prize money in any of them, Burgundy Belle has won over $60,ooo in prizemoney and is raced by the Fortuna Burgundy Belle Syndicate, an ownership Group of 53 Individuals, several of whom were on track at Hastings

Burgundy Belle was strapped by Kate Belsham

Champion Mare, MELODY BELLE, in what will undoubtedly go down as her greatest Group One victory to date, put a high class field to the sword  when winning the Group One Tarzino Trophy (1400 metres – $200,000) at Hastings, scoring back to back wins in the event after winning in 2018 as well.

Nervous punters, concerned about her wide barrier draw, sent the mare out at very generous starting odds of $5.70. Drawn barrier 15 of 16, the draw was of concern to her connections, but having faith in MELODY BELLE’s gate speed led Trainer, Te Akau’s Jamie Richards, Syndicate Manager John Galvin and rider Michael McNab to a pre race tactical plan to jump well and endeavour to take up a position in or near the lead. Uncharacteristically however, MELODY BELLE was tardy away and with huge early speed in the race, McNab had to resort to Plan B and finished up near the tail of the field. No panic on the rider’s part however, the speed up front was hot and the field strung out. On turning for home, MELODY BELLE had only two runners behind her, but seeing clear air as they straightened and with a couple of reminders behind the saddle, the bonny Mare got down to business, maintaining a swooping, compelling and powerful run, gathered in the field and went to the line with almost a length to spare in the very slick time of 1.22.12, the fastest time for this event in the past 10 years

Click HERE to see Video replay

Melody Belle- Simply Amazing – Tarzino Trophy 31st August 2019

Fortuna Director and Syndicate Manager, John Galvin, was ecstatic after the race. “I don’t usually get very emotional on race days,” he said, “but today’s victory was simply outstanding, she had to do it all from the draw and with not getting away well – she is a Super Star. Full credit to a no panic ride by our pinch hitting jockey, Michael McNab and to trainer Jamie Richards for having her spot on for this event.”

MELODY BELLE is a Five Year old race mare by Commands out of Meleka Belle and a descendent of the famous Belle family founded in the 1930’s by Jim and Annie Sarten and continued on by their daughter, Marie Leicester, MELODY BELLE’s breeder.

MELODY BELLE was purchased by Te Akau Supremo DAVID ELLIS, on behalf of Fortuna Syndications at the NZ Bloodstock Premier Sale of 2016 for $57,500. Now the winner of twelve races, including seven Group Ones, two Group Twos, a Group Three and the Listed Karaka Million, MELODY BELLE has won prize money of $1,750,000 for her ownership Group, the Fortuna Melody Belle Syndicate, a group of 34 individuals.

MELODY BELLE was strapped by Mette Mosebo

The patience of Trainer Mark Walker and Members of the Fortuna Sportsman Syndicate were rewarded in spades today at Kranji race course in Singapore when the Five Year Old Gelding, SPOKESMAN (Alamosa-Panthera) broke through for his first Singapore win. Fortuna Director John Galvin picks up the story, “Since acquiring Spokesman in January of this year, he has had 10 starts for us prior to today and had won prizemoney in 9 of them, so while he is no champion, he is honest as the day is long and now gets a well deserved win. Trainer Mark Walker decided that we needed to be positive from the wide draw and try and lead, and rider Zawari executed the tactics perfectly – so big kudos to Trainer and Jockey”

“Spokesman” – First Win In Singapore 25th August 2019

Drawn Barrier 11 in an 11 horse field over the 1600 metre trip in Class 5 Grade on the Turf track, Zawari fired SPOKESMAN out of the gates, soon had him in the lead, maintaining a solid tempo in the run. Still sitting quietly as they turned, Zawari gave the horse some rein, quickly putting a gap on the field and finished up winning the race by a commanding six lengths.

Click HERE to see the race replay

SPOKESMAN is one of two horses in the Fortuna Sportsman Syndicate (the other is SPORTSCASTER), an ownership group consisting of 27 individuals.

SPOKESMAN’S win gave Te Akau Singapore Trainer Mark Walker his 56th win for the season and now leads the 2019 Trainers Premiership by a 14 win margin

The Three Year Old Gelding BRUTUS (by Rubick out of Harvest Queen) has exited quarantine in Singapore and is now in work under the watchful eye of Fortuna’s Singapore Trainer, Mark Walker. Purchased by Fortuna’s John Galvin at the Inglis Online Auction in April, BRUTUS (who raced as “Field of Boaz”) in Australia has one race in NSW before being put on the market by his Owners, the China Horse Club.

Identified by Mark Walker as an ideal type for Singapore racing, he was gelded straight away once we acquired him and then spelled in NSW for a few weeks before going into quarantine in Victoria ahead of his flight to Sydney

 BRUTUS – Singapore 12th August 2019

Fortuna’s John Galvin had this to say about BRUTUS “Once we gelded this horse he put on 23 kgs in weight and is now an imposing type, standing at 16.0 hands and weighing 510kgs. Now that he has commenced work in Singapore, I estimate it will take about 10 weeks for him to acclimatise, get race fit and be ready for the first of his two mandatory trials. Once ready to race he is eligible for Restricted Maiden Grade, a Grade which carries S$75,000 of prize money. He is also eligible for the very lucrative Singapore Three Year Old Series – a three Race Series run in April/May of 2020 for total prize money of S$1.35m”

Click HERE to see Video footage of BRUTUS trotting up in Singapore 12th August wth voice over from Trainer Mark Walker

Still shares left in Brutus at NZ$2770 per each 2.5% share and $90 per month from 1 September for ongoing expenses. Click HERE to read more and order a share on line.

A hunch and a punt taken by Te Akau Racing’s Singapore Trainer Mark Walker and Fortuna Syndication’s John Galvin in September 2018 paid off in brilliant fashion in Singapore 2nd August when the Five Year Old gelding RED ROVER (O’Reilly- PinUp) strolled to victory in the Class 4 1000 metre sprint at Kranji racecourse.

John Galvin picks up the story ” Mark and I are always on the lookout for promising types who have good form in Sydney/NSW – we became aware that RED ROVER who had won well at Rosehill in April 2018 was being offered at an online auction by his owners, Waikato Stud. We had him vetted and he scoped a Grade 3 which generally we would walk away from – but clearly he was a super fast race horse and so we decided to take a punt on securing a bargain, we set a budget and bid for him and we managed to secure him for around NZ$15,000. We then applied to the Singapore Turf Club to have the horse admitted to Singapore for racing and they approved his entry. I then went about syndicating the horse, giving potential clients full disclosure about his condition and the fact that he may require wind surgery at some point.

“On arrival in Singapore he went into work and got up to trials fitness level at which time he started to make wind noise and so our very good vet in Singapore performed tie back surgery at that point. The surgery went well and after a short recovery he was back in work and ready to trial – he won his final trial in good fashion and made his race day debut at the end of June, running a 3rd placing off a wide draw over the 1000 metre trip. He backed up on 12th July over the 1000m, again drawing out and ran a bold 2nd, beaten half a length. His race day form was very good and he repaid us in spades with his victory tonight – this time he drew a good barrier and it always seemed during the running that he was going to come up trumps. A huge thank you and congratulations to all of those people who also took a punt on Red Rover, taking a share in the horse, despite the risks that his poor scope presented. And a big thank you to the STC Head Vet for approving Red Rover’s entry to Singapore, Trainer Mark Walker and his team for a great training effort, Dr Dan Shaw our Vet and Azhar, our jockey, who has ridden Red Rover on all three occasions”

Drawing Barrier 5 and leaving the barriers well, rider I AZHAR soon had RED ROVER in the lead and on the rail. Traveling at a good tempo, RED ROVER seemed to be going well as they turned for home and went to the line under a hands and heels ride winning by a length at the line, handsomely rewarding punters who had sent him out an odds on favourite.

Click HERE to see the race replay

RED ROVER, whose stable name is “Bullet”, now boasts a Singapore race day record of three starts for 1 wins, a 2nd and a 3rd for S$45,000 of prize money to date and is owned by the Fortuna Red Rover Syndicate, an ownership group of 60 individuals, a group that is truly International with Members from New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and the Philippines, with 27 of those individuals being brand new clients for the Fortuna Syndications Team

It has been another outstanding season for the Fortuna Syndications New Zealand Team. While undoubtedly Melody Belle has been the star of the show, the results from the total team have been exceptional, with the record for the season standing at 50 race day starts for 13 wins, a Strike Rate of 3.85. Note that this no flash in the pan, with the record over the past three seasons to 31 July 2019 being 91 starts for 26 wins, a three year Strike Rate of 3.50

“Naturally, this is a very pleasing result for the Fortuna Team,”said Fortuna Director John Galvin, “we are a boutique operation, we don’t aim to be the biggest, but we aim to deliver strong results for our large group of loyal clients.”When asked the reasons why Fortuna has been able to maintain such a consistent Strike rate, John Galvin replied. “I think there are four key factors, firstly a very strong selection policy, based around selecting well pedigreed horses with correct physical type – we are aided in this by David Ellis along with Jamie Richards and Mark Walker, secondly we are very patient – we like to ensure that every horse is thoroughly well prepared before it goes to the races, thirdly we ensure that our horses are placed correctly and lastly, we do not persevere for too long with horses who show less than average race day form.”

Fortuna currently has 15 horses in training in NZ, 14 of those with Jamie Richards as Trainer and 1 (Steeplechaser Highly Likely) with Kevin Myers

Fortuna Stable Star, Six Time Group One Winner, Melody Belle

Resuming off 70 days proved no obstacle for Beau Geste (4 g Pour Moi – Villa Wanda, by Grand Lodge), with a dominant victory in the $10,000 Farmer Transport Rating 65 1650 metres on 18 July at Hastings.

A three-quarter brother to multiple Group One winning Wall Street (Montjeu), who had a great affinity on the course at Hastings, Beau Geste had broken through for a well deserved Maiden win over 2000 metres in March at New Plymouth, and given a chance to freshen-up by Te Akau trainer Jamie Richards worked the oracle.

Unpressured from the gates by rider Craig Grylls, Beau Geste settled comfortably three back on the inner and things unfolded nicely with a split one off the rail at the 300m. Up for the contest, he quickened through stylishly inside the 200m and pulled away under a hand ride to score by a neat length.

On Slow8 footing, Beau Geste started as a loose third favourite and his best return on the NZ TAB was $10.00 & $2.90 fixed odds.

Click HERE to see Race result and Video replay

Beau Geste wins stylishly at Hastings 18th July 2019 – Craig Grylls aboard

“I got a really big thrill out Beau Geste winning today,” Richards said. “He’s a bread and butter sort of horse that had been over-racing with the blinkers on and had a couple of soundness problems in behind, but thankfully John Galvin allowed us to take our time with the horse. We’d sent him out to the beach at Waiuku to Catherine Cleghorn, who is a really important part of our team, and she was able to take him along quietly and give him a freshen-up.

“He returned to Matamata in very good order and he’d worked up pleasingly on the course proper. Gryllsy gave him a ten out of ten ride and it’s been a massive effort by everyone involved.

“He’s also a pretty handy jumper, but we just use that as part of his training regime at this stage of his career.”

Te Akau principal David Ellis purchased Beau Geste for $32,500 from the draft of Valachi Downs at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, and fashioning a solid record of two wins, two seconds, and a third, for the Fortuna Beau Geste Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin).

“I knew Wall Street well and bought this horse from Valachi,” Ellis said. “It’s terrific to see him win a couple because he wasn’t far away in his first campaign and just needed a bit of physical maturity in order to start winning.”

On course to celebrate the victory, Galvin said the win was not overly unexpected. “It is school holidays and I decided to bring my two older children (James aged  8 and Jasmine, 9) away for a couple of days, so I’ve got the support crew with me and glad I was here,” he said.

“The win wasn’t too surprising as I was reasonably confident that provided we could get the horse to relax then he would put in a good effort. Whether or not he would win, I wasn’t one-hundred sure but Jamie Richards and I had worked out it was obvious he’d over-raced in his last two runs.

“So we took the blinkers off and the instructions to Craig (Grylls) were to focus on relaxing the horse and it didn’t matter where he finished up in the run – just get him to relax and run home strong were the instructions.  He got a perfect run, didn’t cover an inch of extra ground, found a split as they turned and because he hadn’t been used up he was able to run home strongly.

“He’s been a slow maturing type and never going to be a world-beater, but he’s got all the makings of a stayer and if we can continue on this path then the further he goes the better he will be. It’s just a matter of placing him and making sure he races properly. He’s dour and hasn’t got a sprint, so he needs to be able to roll into the race, which is exactly what he did today.”

Reflecting on the Fortuna season with Te Akau, Galvin said: “The win brought our strike rate down to 3.31 for the season and we’ve got one more runner on Saturday at Te Rapa, Grand Ariana, and she will probably be our last. We’ve had a fantastic year.”

Beau Geste is raced by the Fortuna Beau Geste Syndicate, an ownership Group comprising 27 individuals

Beau Geste was strapped by Alexis White

Fortuna Syndication’s Three Year Old Gelding, FEDERATION (Written Tycoon-Bloomingdale Miss) was dominant in the Class 4 S$50,000 event at Singapore’s Kranji race course 9th June 2019 to record back to back wins and his 3rd career win.

FEDERATION was having his 6th race day start and now has the very good record of three wins, a 2nd and two fourths and over S$$130,000 of prize money. FEDERATION had been inclined to race very keenly in his earlier Singapore runs, however the removal of the blinkers by Trainer Mark Walker on the occasion of his previous victory had seen him relax nicely in the run. Away from the barriers well today, rider John Powell got him to relax nicely again and he raced in a mid field position – coming into the race  before they turned for home, he seemed to be along way from the leaders coming down the straight, but Johnny Powell got to work on him and with a relentless finishing run, he gathered in and put paid to the opposition, winning the race by one and a half lengths with his stable mate, Atlantic Fox in 2nd place.

Click HERE to see the Race Video Replay

“Federation” – 3rd win at Kranji – 09 June 2019

FEDERATION was secured by Fortuna Director, John Galvin, at the Inglis Digital on line sale (May 2018) for A$90,000 from Vendors, The China Horse Club, following a recommendation by Fortuna’s Singapore Trainer, Mark Walker who heads up the powerful Te Akau Racing Team. “Mark had identified this horse, who had had four placings from four starts in New South Wales as a Two Year Old, as an ideal type for Singapore racing, He had a lovely pedigree, was big and strong and had performed well as a 2yo,” reports John  Galvin. “Now  Three  wins from Six starts and over S$130,000 in prizemoney, he is starting to make his mark in Singapore.”

Fortuna’s Singapore Trainer, Te Akau Racing’s Mark Walker,  a five time Premiership winning Trainer in NZ, a two time winning Trainer in Singapore  currently leads the Singapore Premiership in 2019 with 41 wins in the season to date.

FEDERATION is raced by the Fortuna Federation Syndicate, an ownership group of 38 Individuals – the syndicate Membership has an International flavour to it, with members from NZ, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines. 14 of those individuals experienced their first ever win with a Fortuna Syndicate when Federation won on New Year’s Day and are now enjoying a wonderful ride with FEDERATION