Sailing Away (3 g Merchant Navy – Anchovy, by Galileo) got the day off on a bright note for Te Akau trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson  when winning the  $20,000 Maiden 1400 metres on Saturday at Riccarton. Freshened following three starts in his first campaign, which included a third over 1200 metres at Timaru, Sailing Away finished fifth from a handy position when resuming in the Maiden 1200 metres on 4 April at Ashburton, and took the necessary improvement.

Beginning well from barrier one to idle along in the trail, Sailing Away received a clear passage near the rail and kept mustering under the urgings of stable apprentice Niranjan Parmar, who recorded his 20^th win for Te Akau this season and 10^th at Riccarton. In the race named Riccarton Park Function Centre, Sailing Away ran 1400 metres in 1:24.3, last 600m in 34.7 (approx.), and shortened in betting as race favourite to pay $3.80 & $1.70 on the NZ TAB tote.

Click HERE to see the race replay

Present on course, co – Trainer Mark Walker said: “It was a nice ride of Parmar’s to have him travelling so well in the trail and it’s always good to get a winner for John Galvin and Fortuna Racing. Sailing Away been a slower maturing horse than initially expected, but he is out of Galileo mare so he should improve with more time and distance. He’s getting that little bit stronger now, that’s the key to him, and Hunter (Durrant) and the team at the Te Akau stables down here at Riccarton have done a really good job with him.”

SAILING AWAY breaks Maidens – Riccarton Park 20th April – Niranjan Parmar aboard

It was the second victory in a week for the Te Akau/Fortuna Racing partnership, after two-year-old stable-mate Star Shadow (Reliable Man) scored on debut in the 2YO 1300 metres last Saturday at Otaki.

Syndicate manager, John Galvin, watching the race from his Hamilton home, was well satisfied after the race “David and Mark  picked this horse out of the 2022 Karaka yearling sale, believing that on physical type he would make a lovely two year-old and he certainly suggested that in his initial preparation, but then had a real growth spurt and we had to abandon our two year-old plans for him and wait for more physical development. He had three starts in the December/January period of this season but then, believing he needed a break,  he was given a freshen up and his resuming run at Ashurton recently indicated that he was certainly knocking on the door. His pedigree page indicates that he may well prosper over more ground and the way he won the race today would tend to confirm that as well. Well done to Parmar for a well judged ride and congratulations to Mark and Sam and their team for exhibiting so much patience in the way they have handled Sailing Away.”

Sailing Away stems from a rather phenomenal international family, with third dam Love Me True (Kingmambo), leaving five-time Group One winning stallion Duke Of Marmalade (Danehill), a European Champion that won from 1400m – 2400m, Champion Three-Year-Old and The Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m) winner Ruler Of The World (Galileo), along with Group winners Norway (Galileo) and Annus Mirabilis (Montjeu).

Owned by the Fortuna Sailing Away Syndicate – an Ownership group of 56 individuals, he was purchased by David Ellis CNZM and Fortuna Racing for $60,000, from the draft of Cambridge Stud, at the Karaka 2022 Book 1 Sale.

Sailing Away was strapped by Naomi Warrander.