MALBOROUGH BAY records a dominant win at Matamata 27th August – his 2nd career win

Presented in first-class order and from a family that Te Akau and Fortuna has a great affinity with, Malborough Bay (4 g Darci Brahma – Spin ‘N Grin) was a dominant winner of the $18,500 Wrightway Builders Rating 65 1400 metres on 27 August at Matamata. He did well off a wide trip for fifth in the Rating 65 1300 metres on 29 July at Te Rapa, won by stable-mate Hero Worship (Xtravagant), and brought compelling stats to the race. Solid in each of four recent starts, stakes placed, a debut winner at his only course attempt, and weight relief to 56.5kg, added up to rate a top three chance.

In the hands of Te Akau apprentice Niranjan Parmar, claiming 2kgs, who won the previous race aboard Amberite, Malborough Bay was posted three wide in the open before being sent to a handy advantage rounding the home turn and he sustained a powerful finish to win stylishly. “He loved the ground today and has improved a lot,” Parmar said. “He was three wide, but happy there and finished really well.”

Scoring by two and a half lengths, Malborough Bay ran 1400 metres in 1:25.4, last 600m in 36.0, on Soft6 footing and paid $3.20 & $1.60 on the NZ TAB tote.

Click HERE to see the race replay

“It was a really good win and he’s now two from two on the home course,” said co-trainer Mark Walker. “He was suited perfectly by track conditions, a Soft6 with just the right amount of jar out of it, and Parmar is riding in great form. And well done to John Galvin and his team of Owners in this horse – he had struggled to win again since his debut win as an Autumn 2yo, but recent form has been good and they are now rewarded with another win”

MALBOROUGH BAY – 2nd career win – Matamata 27th August 2023 – Niranjan Parmar aboard

Bred by Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM and Glenn & Cathie Holmes, who experienced success during the week with stable-mate Sorcha (Burgundy), Malborough Bay is owned by  the Fortuna Marlborough Bay Syndicate (Mgr John Galvin), with Fortuna  notching their second recent win following Navalha (Sebring) at Riccarton three days earlier.

Fortuna Director John Galvin was on course with a solid contingent of the Ownership Group “Matamata has been a happy hunting ground for us and I can remember back to when Mark (Walker) trained Darci Brahma to win a two-year-old race here, prior to Mark going to Singapore, where he trained a lot more winners for Fortuna, and those winner continue to flow with Mark now back in NZ,” Galvin said. “Mark had varied Marlborough Bay’s work of late, putting him over a few hurdles, and he was certainly very dominant in his win. While his action on firm tracks can be found wanting, his action with the right amount of give in the ground was very good today. It has been rather frustrating with this horse running 12 times without winning as a 3yo after winning on debut as a 2yo, but his Ownership Group have been very patient and today their patience has been rewarded”

Malborough Bay is out of the Group winning mare Spin’N Grin, who has now left six individual winners of 19 races, including Group One and Group Three placed Éclair Lightning (Darci Brahma), along with additional Fortuna Racing owned horses Major Tom (Darci Brahma) and Jack’s Secret (Sakhee’s Secret) whom, trained by Mark Walker in Singapore, each won three races. She also left the Group One placed (Telegraph Handicap) Burgundy Belle (Burgundy), trained by Jamie Richards and also owned by a Fortuna Syndicate

“When Malborough Bay was a yearling here on the farm, I rang John (Galvin) and said I’ve got another really nice yearling for you to syndicate, as he’d already had plenty of success with the family, and now he’s furnishing into a really nice horse” said David Ellis

Bred by Karyn Fenton-Ellis and Glenn & Cathie Holmes Malborough Bay was acquired by John Galvin in a private sale for $80,000. He is raced by the Fortuna Marlborough Bay Syndicate, an ownership group consisting of 55 individuals.

Malborough Bay was strapped by Cooper Stumbles