David Ellis makes a trip to Singapore to visit the Te Akau Racing Stables  and attend the Oct 2^ndRaceday

Donna Logan surges back to the top of the Singapore Trainer’s Premiership

=============================================================================

Fortuna has seven runners over the weekend –  four in NZ and three in SingaporeNew Zealand – Riccarton – Saturday

NAVALHA contests the R75 1200 – Race 4 @1.14pm – Jason Laking to ride from Barrier 2. Strong last start winner, same trip and venue 17^th September. Up in grade and meets a good field here but represents a top 3 chance.

DANCARINA also contests the R75 1200 – Race 4 @1.14pm –Stable apprentice Joe Kamaruddin to ride from Barrier 12. Blew them away closing stages this  venue 1000m 3rd September. Very good each way chance

MALBOROUGH BAY runs in the Inglewood Stud Guineas Trial, a 3yo Set weight and Penalties event over 1400m – Race 5 @ 1.48pm – Joe Kamaruddin, claiming 1kg, to ride. A bold debut winner as a 2yo in May, he has had two runs as a 3yo for a 2^nd at Taupo 1300m and a close up 3^rd 1000m Riccarton 3^rd September. A talented galloper on target for the 2000 Guineas, he meets some smart types here, but represents a top 3 chance

Woodville – Sunday

KHAFEEF makes his Hurdles debut in the Maiden Hurdles 3200m event – race 2 @ 1.52pm – Shaun Fannin to ride – widely touted by the stable as “the best jumper in the stable” – he gets his chance hear to prove that assessment right. Hard to predict an outcome on his first go at this discipline but if he jumps kindly and relaxes in the run, he can feature

Singapore – Sunday

BRIGGS contests the Maiden 1200m Poly – Race 2 @ 12.30pm Sing time (5.30pm NZT) – Leading Singapore jockey Manoel Nunes rides from barrier 1 – Ran 3^rd on debut two weeks ago after drawing wide over 1000m. Has taken big improvement from his debut run – top 3 chance here

Here is what the Singapore Turf Club tipsters say about this race ;

1st Pick: STREET OF DREAMS (3)
Easiest race this horse has contested so far in his four start career. Trials have been promising, looks set to win.
2nd Pick: BRIGGS (1)
The rise to 1200m and race day experience should assist his chances. Must lug the top weight though which looks to be the only worry for him.
3rd Pick: HOLY ELEANOR (6)
Now an eight-time runner up, she rarely runs a bad race. She deserves to win one as she rarely finds herself out of the finish.
4th Pick: THE STAR (4)
Fresh up here stepping out for career start number four. Another who faces a much easier field than what it has in the past and should be among the top place getters, respect.

KING ARTHUR contests the feature race on the programme – the Class 1 1200m Turf – Race 11 @ 5pm Sing time (10pm NZT) – Leading Singapore apprentice jockey Fadzli Yusoff, claiming 2kgs, rides from barrier 2 – the most improved horse in Singapore in 2022, he has taken a lot of improvement out of his resuming run 1100m Poly 17^thSeptember. Never easy to win these sorts of races, but is the class form horse in the field and should be hard to beat

ENTERTAINER also contests the Class 1 1200 Turf – an impressive last start win Class 3 1000m Poly means he gets his chance here in the hands of Stable Apprentice Jerlyn Seow, claiming 3kgs. Loves to lead and with a featherweight to carry, is bound to give a sight and could be hard to run down. Top 3 chance       

Here is what the Singapore Turf Club tipsters say about this race ;

1st Pick: KING ARTHUR (2)
Runner up in the G1 Lion City Cup two starts ago. Didn’t lose any admirers on the Poly last start and should strip fitter from that. Stable seem to have him going well and looks a main threat. Draws very well and leading apprentice claims weight.
2nd Pick: GRAND KOONTA (1)
Continues to run well off a high rating. Because of that he has been allocated 59.5kgs on the weight scale but he was one of the eye catchers in the Group One last start, so a top three finish is well within his reach again.
3rd Pick: ENTERTAINER (5)
Well weighted here after just scoring last start on the Polytrack. He has never missed a place in three attempts at this course and distance. Comes from our leading stable and could be some value with a good run from barrier one.
4th Pick: MURAAHIB (3)
Gets back on the turf for the first time since November last season where he has some healthy course and distance stats. Should appreciate the rise back to 1200m. Each way claims

“King Arthur” – Career Win #8 – 17th July 2022 – Fadzli Yusoff aboard

Fortuna Track work – Matamata

No timed Fortuna trackwork this week

Fortuna Track work – Singapore

Saturday  24th September

Kermajack (Jerlyn) – C, 1000/600 39; Olympia (Jamil) – 1000/600 36; King Arthur (Yusoff) – 1000/600 38; Briggs (Jake) – 1000/600 38; Our Final Offer (Aslam) – 1000/600 39;

Tuesday  27th September

Olympia (Jamil) – 800/600 39; Our Final Offer (Jamil) – 1000/600 48; King Arthur (Yusoff) – 800/600 38.5; Entertainer (Yusoff) – 800/600 39; Briggs (Nunes) – 800/600 38;

Other News

David Ellis makes a trip to Singapore to visit the Te Akau Stables in Singapore and attend the Oct 2^nd Raceday

On Thursday 29^th of September Te Akau Supremo David Ellis departed for a well overdue visit to the Te Akau Singapore operation – as we all know Covid 19 restrictions created havoc across the board particularly with international travel. A lot has happened in Singapore racing since David was last there with Mark Walker having returned to New Zealand after an 11 year stint and Donna Logan appointed to the head trainer role as of first of January this year. The Singapore Turf Club (STC) has not been without its difficulties either, with Covid 19 restrictions causing a period without racing in 2020 and then crowds free racing for almost the next two years – thankfully the crowds are now back on course.

During his six-day visit David will be meeting with Donna Logan and Donna’s husband and invaluable right hand man, Peter Woods stable staff, Singapore-based clients and also having significant conversations with senior management at the Singapore Turf Club about its plans for ongoing investment and development of its racing programme. David will also attend the race meeting on October 2^nd where the Premiership leading trainer, Te Akau’s Donna Logan, will present 14 runners on the day, including two in the feature race the Class 1 1200 Turf, the Fortuna runners, King Arthur and Entertainer

Donna Logan surges back to the top of the Singapore Trainer’s Premiership

With just two months to go to the end of the Singapore racing season it is a seesaw race at top of the trainers premiership with both Donna Logan and Tim Fitzsimmons trading blows. In the early months of the season Fitzsimmons had got out to a commanding lead as Donna was getting her feet under the table in her new role as Te Akau head trainer, but steadily she clawed the lead back and hit the front. However a period of Polytrack only racing during September saw Donna produce a lower number of runners to the races each week and Fitzsimmons regained the lead on the 17^th of September with a two win margin. But then on the 24^th of September Donna produced three winners with Tim going home empty-handed for the day and Donna now sits on 50 wins with Tim on 49. Of the other contenders Michael Clements sits in third place on 39 wins and so it would seem given the relatively short period to run until the end of the season that it’s going to continue to be a two horse race.

See the table below, remarkable that Donna has 52 2nds and 51 3rds to go with her 50 wins

Guest Selector – Des Coppins

Hi John and Team Fortuna

Here we go for this week. I think you are in for a good day at Riccarton. In fact I’m going with you

Last week’s selection, Follow Your Dreams at Ruakaka, clearly had a tough run. He was caught wide in 4th or 5th spot and worked even wider entering the  straight. Realistically he was a sitting duck despite challenging for the lead and in a race where it suited the back runners with such a strong pace the tie up over the last 200m wasn’t totally unexpected. The biggest surprise was the amount of money on him. On the morning of the race Follow Your Dreams was paying $7 but this quote amazingly halved at the jump!

With the forecast for group one racing at Hastings looking “very  un-spring like”  I’ve decided to focus on the meeting at Riccarton on Saturday which looks certain to have more favourable underfoot conditions. While it may appear to be a support race day for Hastings it holds far more appeal as a lead in to the upcoming Cup carnival at Riccarton. I see wonderful betting races at Riccarton all day. I think the Fortuna team will play a significant hand, too, and I reckon there’s a Fortuna quinella in the offing in race 4.

Firstly, Navalha, TAB no.7: From day one this horse looked promising and obviously age has been his friend. He’s now 5 and his win on the track a fortnight ago was very impressive when running just 0.25 of a second slower than the open sprinters on the day after being clearly on the wrong foot at the start. He’s up in grade but drops 3kgs on that last run. Any further improvement in the track conditions will also be an assist.

Secondly, Dancarina (no.14): She’s by the same sire as Navalha, in Sebring and again maturity has been a positive with her even though she showed real promise from the outset. Her last win, like her stablemate, was impressive over 1000m and clearly the step up to 1200 will suit. She was  super quick over 1000m in 57.07 and finished the last 200m in 11.25. It was seemingly an effortless performance with the expectation there’s a lot more to come.

Get this. In the next race that day, open sprinter and stablemate Burgundy Rose covered the same ground  in 57.56, almost a half second slower!

I can’t separate the pair.

The bookies at press time had them both around the $4-$5 mark. Two wins bets suit the pocket this week  but the quinella is definitely a genuine option.

Fingers crossed for the team.

Good punting!

========================================================================================