Friday Flash – 15th September 2023

Headline News

ZEDWILLDO shares filling very quickly

Fortuna Racing – Cranbourne Stable

Six Fortuna Runners this weekend – four in Singapore (although one is on the ballot) on Saturday and two at Te Rapa on Sunday

Singapore – Saturday 16^th

ROCKY contests the Class 4 1700m Poly event – Race 9 @ 4pm Sing time (8pm NZT) – with Zyrul to ride from Barrier 2 – is racing in great form – meets a good field here and steps up to 1700m for the first time – will get soft run from barrier and has just 51.5kgs to carry – is right in this and represents a very good top 3 chance

KNIPPENBERG races in the Class 4 1200m Turf – Race 10 @ 4.30pm Sing time (4.30pm NZT) and will be ridden by Stable Apprentice Fadzli Yusoff from a handy draw – another who is racing in great form – is poised to make this career win No 3 in Singapore

ENTERTAINER contests the Class 4 1100 Poly – Race 11 @5pm Sing time (9pm NZT) with Stable Apprentice Fadzli Yusoff to ride from the outside barrier. An eight time winner in Singapore with seven of those wins coming at this trip and surface, once again he is drawn off the track – will need a lot of luck from the draw but if he gets it, he can be a top four contender

ELLIOT NESS is also in the Class 4 1100 Poly – Race 11 @5pm Sing time (9pm NZT), but needs 2 scratchings to get a run, so no rider fixed at this time. Holds the Singapore track record this trip and surface and so if he gets a run, he has a nice barrier draw and is certainly capable of featuring.

Te Rapa – Sunday 17^th – Great Northern Day

SOPRANO SUPREME runs in the Open Handicap 1600m event – Race 5 @2.03pm and will be ridden by Stable Apprentice, Jessica Allen (claiming 3kgs). This staying type mare is resuming after two trials – meets a strong field here at a trip well short of her best distance – will be running on strongly at the finish.

MALBOROUGH BAY contests the R75 1400m event – Race 8 @ 3.57pm. Dominant winner this trip Matamata 27^thAugust but is up in grade here. Drawn well in gate 5 and has Champion jockey Michael McNab in the saddle – needs to progress to feature here, but has more than a bit of ability and can feature in the finish

Matamata Trackwork

Thursday 12^th September

Dancarina (N Parmar) galloped over 1000 metres  in 1.07.2, home in 38.9
Ragamuffin (R Sheehan) galloped over an easy 1000 metres in 1.11.2, home in 39.8.

Singapore Trackwork

Saturday 9th September

ELLOT NESS (JAMIL)1000/600-39; PRINCE LONHRO (ASLAM)800/600-38;  ENTERTAINER (YUSOFF)1000/600-39; GUN (YUSOFF)800/600-3939; ROCKY(YUSOFF)1000/600-39;

Tuesday 12^h September

GUN (ASLAM)800/600-38; PRINCE LONHRO (ASLAM)800/600-38.5; ENTERTAINER (YUSOFF)1000/600-39;

ZEDWILLDO shares filling very quickly

It has been a busy week for John and Jessica processing incoming orders for our recently acquired Stayer ZEDWILLDO (Zed-Katie Spice) with 84% of the shares taken up over the past seven days. As readers will be aware, we love the Stayers, have had good success with them and this latest acquisition with his stayers pedigree, physical type, trials and race day performance looks to be the “real deal.” Word from his Te Akau trackwork riders is that “Dez”is a beautiful mover with a powerful action. Ongoing plans for him are a trial at Te Rapa on 26^th September and then he will be on a flight to Melbourne and will make his Australian debut in a 1700/1800 Maiden race early to mid October. Te Akau’s Assistant Trainer Ben Gleeson has a few debut options lined up.

Ongoing plans are ambitious – as Mark Walker says “we dream big in this game” and we make no secret of the fact that we are going to set ZEDWILLDO on a path that hopefully will see him contest some of the big Cups races in Victoria and New South Wales over the next two or three seasons.

Don’t miss this one – full details including video footage of his trial, race debut and parades can be seen at the link HERE and shares can be obtained from the link also

$1800 Initial payment for 1% and $50 per month ongoing from 1 November – $4,500 for 2.5% and $125 per month ongoing – $9000 for 5% and $250 per month ongoing

Fortuna Racing – Cranbourne Stable

Our good friends at Te Akau Racing had a dream start to their new Cranbourne venture when their very first runner, IMPERATRIZ blitzed a quality Group 2 field at Moonee Valley. This of course on top of a day when Mark Walker/Sam Bergerson produced four winners at Hastings including all three Group races on the program. And to add icing to the cake, Te Akau featured strongly at the Annual NZ Thoroughbred Awards event 10^th September with Tokyo Tycoonnamed as 2yo of The year, Imperatriz Champion Sprinter/Miler and Mark Walker Champion Trainer

Turning to the new Cranbourne Stable, Fortuna Racing already has a presence there with two 3yo’s already stabled. Fleet Footed (by Zoustar) we had acquired as a 2yo Colt out of an Inglis Digital Sale earlier in the year – originally destined for Singapore, we pulled the pin on that plan after the Singapore Turf Club closure announcement and decided to keep him in Australia for racing. Now gelded he is getting very fit and will go to the trials very shortly ahead of making his race debut. 3yo Filly, Rubicon Crossing (by Rubick) who raced successfully in NZ as a 2yo has already crossed the Tasman and will make her Aus debut at Mornington on 30^th September in a 3yo Fillies 1000m event.

But it does not end there – our 6yo Staying Mare, Soprano Supreme, who resumes at Te Rapa on Sunday, will travel to Cranbourne soon after that race and be aimed at staying events in Victoria, Zedwilldo will also travel there after trialing at Te Rapa on the 26^th and the Wellington Cup winner, Leaderboard, who returned to work recently, will travel later in the year and be prepared for a jumps campaign in 2024. Exciting times indeed for the connections of all of these runners.

Guest Selector – Gary Williams

Gary had a solid result last week with a winner (Fashion Shoot) and two placings at good each way odds (Dragon Leap and Slipper Island) from his four selections. He has gone “wide” this weekend – here is what he has to say

Hi John and the Fortuna Team

After last week’s good effort, extra study has gone into this week’s racing which is hotting up as Spring racing brings out fresh runners on the track and winter gallopers hope the wet tracks continues

I have searched North, South, Central and Melbourne for these ‘specials’….

Riccarton race 1 ….Cullinan now ready for 1600m and odds should lengthen on tote [ currently $3.50].

Taranaki race 2…..Polly Grey ,back from Aussie quality. ..looks special @ $4 [ Is double acceptor at Te Rapa also]

Melbourne race 2…..the drums are beating Shalyhar. Ticks a lot of boxes but short @$3. Should pay more on tote

Taranaki race 5……Helena Baby [ $21 / $5 ] ….loves the track , the going and well weighted.

Riccarton race7…..Lightning Jack [ $4 place]…needs further but has class and weight relief to storm into a place. One to follow .

Riccarton race8….. Illicit Dream [ $4 win] Yes , up against the Tangerine but is tough and will push hot favourite . Each way all-day !

Finally, the Great Northern meeting features at Te Rapa on Sunday and a likely double is the two top weights. There is a reason they head their fields. Race 4 Nedwin [ $3.20 ] and Race 7 The Cossack [ $2 ] – Maximise your bet,then double it!!

But always bet with your shoelaces, not your shoes !

Regards,
Gary