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Seven year old ELLIOT NESS (Written Tycoon – Walk with Attitude) on a 7 day back up from his 5 length victory at Singapore’s Kranji racecourse 21st September, shugged off the seven day turn around and the 4kgs of extra allotted weight, to win again over the same trip (1100m) as his previous victory. Ridden again by Manoel Nunes, Elliot Ness was away well from a mid field draw, but with a lot of early speed inside him, Nunes eased him and he finished up in a loveyt spot one out from the rail and in behind ths speed. Widest on the trun as they straightened for home, Nunes asked for an effort, Elliot responded and was “untouchable” going to the line with a clear 2 length margin. Sent out favourite by punters, Elliot Ness returned dividends of $2 the win and $1.20 the place on TAB NZ.
Trainer, Donna Logan, was present on course and was ecstatic after the race “Over the moon with that result, always a big ask to back a horse up on a 7 day turn around and he had a lot of additioinal weight to carry – well done to Manoel Nunes for another well judged ride and huge congrats to John Galvin and his Fortuna Racing Ownership Team for enjoying so much success with this talented horse”
“Elliot Ness” – 6th Singapore Win – 28th September 2024 – Manoel Nunes aboard
Fortuna Racing’s John Galvin, watching the race on his phone at Auckland Airport after having just arrived back from a successful trip to Melbourne, where the previous evening he was on hand to watch the Fortuna three-year-old Filly Bellatrix Star winning a Group 3 race at Moonee Valley, said after the race “That was marvellous to watch and has capped off a perfect weekend with our great result at The Valley last night and now with Elliot Ness winning for the sixth time in Singapore on a seven day backup – well done to Donna Logan, our Singapore trainer, for a great training feat and a big thank you to Manoel Nunes who has ridden many winners for us over the years and is on the verge of winning another premiership title in Singapore. It is rather a “bittersweet” moment with this victory, as with Singapore racing coming to a close next week, it will end our 14 year involvement in the racing scene up there and this has been very hard to take for Team Fortuna and all of our very loyal clients who have supported us with our Singapore venture over the years, so to get a win like this on the second last day of racing in Singapore is a lovely result for us all”
ELLIOT NESS (who raced with the name PROHIBITION in Australia) was originally purchased as a Yearling at the 2019 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for A$675,000 as a Stallion prospect for an Ownership Group comprising the China Horse Club and other high profile owners. Trained by Peter and Paul Snowden in Sydney, he trialed twice in May 2020 for a 4th and a 6th placing and after determining that his trial form indicated that he was not up to Stallion making ability plus the fact that he was very Colty and needed to be gelded, he was put up for sale unreserved and John Galvin acquired him at the May 2020 Inglis Online Sale for just A$35,000. He has now won six times times and had nineteen other prizemoney placings from 31 starts in Singapore and has Stakes Earnings of S$261,000 for his Ownership Group consisting of 44 individuals from NZ, Australia and Hong Kong
13 days after a dominant win down the Flemington chute in the (Listed) Cap D’antibes Stakes (1100m), three-year-old Filly Bellatrix Star (Star Witness – Alana’s Party) proved that win was no fluke with another emphatic victory at the iconic Mooney Valley circuit, this time taking out the Group 3 Scarborough Stakes over 1200 metres. Faced with a midfield draw, regular rider, the expat Kiwi, Mick Dee, soon had Bellatrix Star in a good position in the run, one out and one back – hooking her to the outside as the field made the turn into the straight, he asked her for an effort and hitting the front, was never headed under a hands and heels ride, going to the line with a 3/4 length advantage over the 2nd horse in a time of 1.10.41 seconds.
After winning at Flemington at odds of 14 to 1, punters were again not convinced that Bellatrix Star was the real deal and she won at starting odds of $9.50. This victory brings her career record to 4 wins from 8 starts with 3 of those wins at the elite black type level and has accumulated earnings of A$438,000 for her ownership group.
Retuning to scale aboard the Filly, rider Mick Dee was very complimentary, saying that the firm track at Mooney Valley was the pre race question mark, but she handled those conditions with aplomb and said that she seemed to be a very good sprinter on the way to bigger and better things.
Te Akau Racing’s Cranbourne Sssisatnt Trainer, Ben Gleeson, was on track and post race commented “It’s a massive confidence booster for us that she can do it on both good and soft tracks, she won dominantly last start, but for her to put that field way here, improve and show that she is up to a better level gives us a real confidence boost. I thought she had trained on [as a three-year-old] and Mark and I both thought she had improved in her condition, her work had been exceptional, but seeing that heavy track just gave us confidence at Flemington. There had been rain this week and we thought ‘oh perfect we’ll get a soft track’, it didn’t turn up, but Mick gave her a ten-out-of-ten ride, had her in the box seat, and she just showed her class.
“John Galvin, considering that he does not spend big money to acquire his horses, does an amazing job, finds a great syndicate of people and consistently buys a very good horse, whether it is in New Zealand or over here, so every year you see Fortuna turn up with a good set of silks on a nice horse, so really pleased for John and his team.”
Trainer, Mark Walker, had watched the race from his New Zealand based, but was equally pleased “Bellatrix Star was brilliant tonight at Moonee Valley, backing up 13 days after a really good win at Flemington, but this time on a much firmer track proving that she is a very versatile sprinter – she was given a 10 out of 10 ride by Mick Dee and I think she has a really exciting future in front of her – congratulations to John Galvin and his team – John and I have been working together for over 20 years and have shared countless winners over that time. He is a great supporter of Te Akau Racing and he and his ownership group deserve every success that they get. She’s another incredible purchase by Dave (Ellis) for only $80,000 and she’s certainly proving her worth and a lot more. She’s a very exciting filly for her owners.”
Walker suggested that Bellatrix Star may now freshen-up for a tilt at the) $2m Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m on Derby Day (2 Nov.) at Flemington, a race won by her sire, Star Witness (Starcraft), in 2010
John Galvin had travelled from his New Zealand home to be present on track at Mooney Valley for the race, along with a small group of supporters and when accepting the winners trophy at the after race presentation said “She really showed us as a two-year-old in New Zealand that she had ability, she won at Group 2 level on New Year’s Day, but then didn’t get all favours in the Karaka Million when fourth and then she went shin sore, so we didn’t run her in the two Group 1 races in the autumn. Mark Walker said to me in July that he thought we should take this horse to Australia because she’s an out-and-out sprinter and he thought she would be better suited over there. So that’s what we’ve done and now we’ve won two really good races in a row, so we’re pretty excited.”
John Galvin’s Fortuna Syndications have had great prior success when bringing horses across the Tasman to Australia, most notably landing the 2019 Empire Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at Flemington with Melody Belle (Commands), one of the mare’s 14 career Group 1 wins “Melody Belle won 14 Group 1s, whereas this filly is still only a Group 2 and Group 3 winner, but they’ve all got to start somewhere,” he said. “This is a big stage and we’re really happy. Apart from a couple of syndicate members who live over here, the rest live in New Zealand so it’s always great to come to Australia, particularly Moonee Valley, and win a big race like this – congratulations to Mark Walker for a fabulous training effort with this horse, ably assisted by Ben Gleeson and once again David Ellis has proven to be a master selector finding this wonderful Filly for me at Karaka”
Ellis had purchased Bellatrix Star on behalf of Fortuna Racing for $80,000 from the NZ Bloodstock Karaka 2023 Sale
Bellatrix Star is owned and raced by the Fortuna Bellatrix Star Syndicate, an Ownership Group consisting of 69 individuals from New Zealand and Australia
Bellatrix Star was strapped by Wyatt Jenkins.
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Seven year old ELLIOT NESS (Written Tycoon – Walk with Attitude) took no prisoners with a dominant 5 length win in Class 4 1100m Polytrack event at Singapore’s Kranji Racecourse 21st September. Ridden by Singapore’s champion jockey, Manoel Nunes, Elliot Ness was away brilliantly from his outside Barrier and settled in 2nd place just outside the leader. Going up to the leader as they turned for home, Nunes was just coasting on the horse, gathering in the leader quickly, then extending his lead, finishing the race with a five length margin in a time of 1.04.62. Sent out favourite by punters, Elliot Ness returned dividends of $2.80 the win and $1.20 the place on TAB NZ for his 5th career win in Singapore
ELLIOT NESS had won previously in January 2024 but then required some knee surgery, this leading to over six months away from the race track, with a resuming run on 18th August producing a strong finishing 4th
Trainer, Donna Logan, was present on course and was a very happy trainer after the race “Won in outstanding fashion, he is a very talented racehorse who has had a chequered career due to injury setbacks, but just loves the 1100m distance – beautifully handled by Manoel Nunes – well done to John Galvin of Fortuna Racing and his ownership team.”
“Elliot Ness” – 5th Singapore Win – 21st September 2024 – Manoel Nunes aboard
Fortuna Racing’s John Galvin, watching from his home in Hamilton in New Zealand was also a happy man. “On paper, he looked a stand out to win this race and from the time he left the barriers, he always seemed to have the race in his control. Manoel rode him very professionally. Well done to to Donna Logan and her team for having this horse in such shape.”
ELLIOT NESS (who raced with the name PROHIBITION in Australia) was originally purchased as a Yearling at the 2019 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for A$675,000 as a Stallion prospect for an Ownership Group comprising the China Horse Club and other high profile owners. Trained by Peter and Paul Snowden in Sydney, he trialed twice in May 2020 for a 4th and a 6th placing and after determining that his trial form indicated that he was not up to Stallion making ability plus the fact that he was very Colty and needed to gelded, he was put up for sale unreserved and John Galvin acquired him at the May 2020 Inglis Online Sale for just A$35,000. He has now won five times and had nineteen other prizemoney placing from 30 starts in Singapore and has Stakes Earnings of S$216,000 for his Ownership Group consisting of 44 individuals from NZ, Australia and Hong Kong
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Eclipse Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) winner Bellatrix Star (3 f Star Witness – Alana’s Party, by Exceed and Excel) recorded a brilliant second-up victory in the A$175,000 Cap D’Antibes Stakes (Listed, 1100m) on Saturday at Flemington.
Appearing muscled up and ready for action, having done well to finish fifth when resuming in the Quezette Stakes (Gr. 3, 1100m) on 17 August at Caulfield, Bellatrix Star had recorded both her wins as a two-year-old on Soft7 footing and received the exact same conditions.
Bellatrix Star was ridden again by ex-pat Kiwi Mick Dee, who has enjoyed considerable success with trainer Mark Walker since setting up stables for Te Akau last season at Cranbourne, with stakes wins aboard Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) in the McEwen Stakes (Gr. 2, 1000m), Campionessa (Contributer) in the Peter Young Stakes (Gr. 2, 1800m), and Sans Doute (Not A Single Doubt) in the ATA/Bob Hoysted Stakes (Listed, 1000m).
Finalist for Champion Two-Year-Old last season in New Zealand, Bellatrix Star was let find her feet at the rear of a compact field by Dee, tracked up behind race favourite Drifting (Zousain) inside the 300m and once clear she charged home for an impressive victory.
A winner of the first two-year-old race of the season last year, over 800 metres at Wanganui, Bellatrix Star ran the 1100 metres in 1:05.9 on Soft7 track conditions and after drifting to $26.00 fixed odds she ended up returning $14.10 & $3.70 on the NZ TAB tote.
“It’s basically New Zealand conditions today, it’s freezing, it’s wet, so she just loved it,” Mark Walker, who was on track, said.“She got a lovely run and Mick (Dee) presented her at the right time, so got all favours, but she was one of our better two-year-olds at home in New Zealand, and it’s encouraging that they can measure up in Australia.”
Since her resuming run in the Quezette Stakes (Gr. 3, 1100m), Bellatrix Star had been off the training property for a racecourse gallop.
“We took her to Moonee Valley one morning to give her a look around that track, with the Scarborough Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) on 27th Sept in the back of our minds, and she worked really well,” Walker said. “But she just looked terrific in the yard today and we were very happy with her.”
Owned by Fortuna Bellatrix Star Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin), she was purchased for $80,000 by David Ellis CNZM and John Galvin at the Karaka 2023 Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Phoenix Park, and her three wins have yielded nearly $340,000 in prize money.
Not in attendance at Flemington but with Fortuna runners at Riccarton, John Galvin said after the race: “We had 11 people in our group today at Flemington, with six owners and five guests. Syndicate Member Tania Gregory gave the speech on behalf of the owners and those Members who were there on the day have been messaging me saying just what an incredible experience it was to be at Flemington on the big stage and win a race like that with this lovely filly. If we go back and look at her form, on New Year’s Day in the Eclipse Stakes at Pukekohe, she beat both Velocious and Move To Strike and they both went on to win Group One races in the Autumn, with Velocious also winning the Karaka Million.
“She suffered a bit of a shin setback after the Karaka Million, and didn’t get to contest the Group One races, so we spelled her, but I think the ability and talent was always there. All credit to Mark Walker, he said to me I think we need to send this filly to Australia. She’s and out and out sprinter and will get more sprinting opportunities in Victoria than she will here in New Zealand. It was a great call by him and also by the syndicate members to support the decision. It’s always a big call to take a young horse from New Zealand and throw them into the deep end in Australia, but she was very good when she resumed at Caulfield, in her first race for six months. She drew wide and finished fifth, not beaten far, and since then her work has been exceptional.
“While not overly confident today, I knew she would run a good race and I tipped her out as a top three chance. It’s a big stage (Flemington) and we’ve won there before with the wonderful Melody Belle, in the Empire Rose Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m), and I’m just so happy for the ownership group that were there to experience it all. It adds hugely to her residual value as a broodmare and I don’t think she’s done yet by any means.
“I was with some long-standing Fortuna clients, watching the race from Riccarton, and after seeing her getting the gaps, I said to them, with 200m to go, that I think she’s got this. She likes to get back and have one last crack at them, as she did at Pukekohe, and that’s how she was tipped out by the Melbourne Herald Sun racing journalist during the week, who predicted she would actually do that.”
Stallion Star Witness (Starcraft) was a dominant winner of the Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m), also down the straight at Flemington, before becoming a successful sprint sire in Australia.
Grand-sire of the filly, Starcraft (Soviet Star) is well known in New Zealand, having won two legs of the Group One Triple Crown at Hawkes Bay. He won Group One races in Australia, France, and England, and became a World Champion Turf Miler. Dam Alana’s Party is by Australian Champion Sire and leading broodmare sire Exceed and Excel (Danehill), who made a name for himself over two decades of world racing and breeding – just an extraordinary sire whose winners have numbered over 5500, 370 stakes winners, including 17 individual Group One winners. Grand-dam The Party Stand, by Stradbroke (Gr. 1, 1400m) winner Thorn Park (Spinning World), was an impressive winner from 1200m – 2000m, best around middle distances and included the N.Z. Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m).
On the back of earlier successes by Bellatrix Star, Ellis purchased her half-brother by Royal Meeting (Invincible Spirit) in March this year at the Melbourne Yearling Sale.
“Imperatriz also won the Eclipse Stakes, just like Bellatrix Star and it’s fantastic to see her win so well at just her second start in Australia,” David Ellis said. Mark (Walker) and Ben (Gleeson) have done a fantastic job preparing her and she’s got plenty of improvement in her, too, looking at her coat in the parade ring. She was very good value buying, Bellatrix Star, and the two-year-old Royal Meeting colt named Royal Rendezvous has shown a lot already in our Melbourne stable. I’m always thrilled when Michael Dee rides a winner for us. He’s such a hard working young man, very talented jockey, was apprenticed to us for time in Matamata, and his father, Richard, is a great horseman and they’re a great family.Mick is one of the best riders in Melbourne, and we’re always happy to have him on.”
Bellatrix Star is owned and raced by the Fortuna Bellatrix Star Syndicate, an Ownership Group consisting of 69 individuals from New Zeland and Australia
Bellatrix Star was strapped by Wyatt Jenkins.
Bred to go further, Court Of Appeal (4 m Eminent – Katy O’Beel, by Zabeel) recorded an encouraging victory in the $18,500 Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Maiden Fillies & Mares 1400 metres (eligible $26,000 bonuses) on 13 September at Matamata in the hands of Opie Bosson. Unable to quicken on Heavy10 footing when resuming in the Maiden 1200 metres on 4 September at Matamata, Court Of Appeal presented in readiness for her second-up assignment. Court Of Appeal had placed three times to 2000 metres in her first campaign, and from a staying type family she was aided by increased distance and improved footing.
Stable rider Opie Bosson turned the outside barrier (12) into a positive when sending Court Of Appeal forward to travel in second, challenged to lead on straightening, found a length when asked inside the 200m and won with plenty of fortitude. It was second time Bosson had ridden Court Of Appeal, having previously finished third in the Pearl Series Maiden 1600 metres last November at Te Aroha.
“We did a bit of work to get outside the leader, but she gave a good kick in the end and gave me the feel that she’ll go further,” said Bosson, who also won five times on grand-dam Katy Keen (Zorro’s Lad). On Soft7 footing, Court Of Appeal ran 1400 metres in 1:27.5, last 600m in 38.1, and plummeted from an earlier fixed odds quote of $12.00 to pay $4.70 & $1.60 on the NZ TAB tote.
Click HERE to see the race replay
Purchased for $20,000 by David Ellis CNZM and Fortuna Racing from the Karaka 2022 Book 2 Sale, from the draft of Brighthill Farm, she is owned by Fortuna Court Of Appeal Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin).
On course with some of the owners, John Galvin said: “Thank you to the sponsors, Entain and New Zealand Bloodstock. Gee, what a miracle Entain has been for New Zealand racing, in partnership with the the TAB, and thankfully we have averted a decline in stakes and instead seen some great increases.
“The guys and gals from Entain are passionate about the racing industry, all own shares in horses, love a bet, and they’re real racing people”
John also paid tribute to Team Te Akau “Marcus Corban is here in the winner’s circle with us today, and he helped us buy her at the sales along with David Ellis and Mark Walker. I’d asked them to pick out a staying type filly from Book 2 at Karaka, and I was prepared to go to $80,000 for this filly, but we did well and got her for $20,000. She showed a lot of promise last season and well done to Mark and Sam for giving her the time to develop and mature. I thought, today, if she was running third or fourth and finishing on I’d be really happy, but the fact that she’s won, after being used up quite a bit early, holds her in good stead as she gets over more ground.
John was also fulsome in his praise of rider Opie Boson “Opie, what can I say, another genius ride to bounce her out and get her up on the speed. And notable that Opie rode his very first winner for me, that was Kapsdan, on 4th October 2003, so he has been riding winners for me for almost 21 years – we have great history together”
Brighthill Farm stallion Eminent, a Group Two winner and dual Group One placed son of peerless racehorse and sire Frankel (Galileo) – currently leading the TRC Global Sires Rankings – was trained by Sir Mark Todd and owned by Sir Peter Vela. From the first crop by Eminent, Court Of Appeal is out of a mare that won three times to 2200 metres, in turn from sensational mare Katy Keen (Zorro’s Lad), a Group Two and Group Three winner that won 10 times to 2500 metres.
Court Of Appeal is the second winner from Katy O’Beel, following Enright (Power), a three time winner to 2100 metres.
Watching the race on Sky Racing from his Cranbourne base, Mark Walker said “She’s so much stronger now, the owners have been patient, and it was a lovely ride of Opie’s, I said to John (Galvin) at the end of her last prep, if we give her a really good spell she’s got the makings of a nice stayer as a four-year-old. Sam (Bergerson) and I will take her along quietly through the early stages of this season, and eventually we’ll get her up in trip.”
Walker suggested Court Of Appeal could return to her home track on Matamata Cup Day (Saturday 5 October), for the Rating 65 1400 metres.
Court Of Appeal was strapped by Rasheed Alam. She is raced by the Fortuna Court Of Appeal Syndicate, an ownership group made up of 46 individuals from all parts of New Zealand
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