The 2yo Filly by Swiss Ace out of Sigiriya

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Notching a hat-trick of wins, Bellatrix Star (3 f Star Witness – Alana’s Party, by Exceed and Excel) stepped up in style with a grand performance in the $300,000 Henley Homes Schillaci Stakes (Gr. 2, 1100m) on Saturday at Caulfield, Melbourne.

The Eclipse Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) winner last season as a two-year-old in New Zealand, Bellatrix Star had been taken along quietly in the sprinting stakes ranks in Victoria, having won the Cap D’Antibes Stakes (Listed, 1100m) on 14 September at Flemington, and the Scarborough Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) on 27 September at Moonee Valley, before the ultimate test at weight-for-age in which she proved right up to the task.

Given a first-class ride by Craig Williams, who recorded his third win on the day, the race panned out perfectly for Bellatrix Star and fair to say she appeared to be in a commanding position throughout. Able to track along free of inference in seventh, she peeled to the outside on straightening and aided by her pull in the weights was too strong for the opposition when sweeping by them on the outside to score impressively.

Click HERE to see the race replay

“Credit to Mark Walker and Ben Gleeson, his foreman here in Melbourne, and all their staff,” Williams said. “They presented her, a three-year-old filly, at weight-for-age level, taking on some really seasoned horses, and they felt confident in doing so and she delivered.”

As a three-year-old filly given weight-for-age conditions, Bellatrix Star carried only 51kg while the remaining eight runners carried 58.5kg. A race predominantly won by older horses, she became the first filly to win the event since Halibery (Red Ransom) in 2003.

When asked about getting down in weights to ride at 51kg, Williams said: “I’ve been doing it for 32-years and a jockey’s life in not simple, but it’s what we do and what we signed up for, and I’m lucky that my wife is my nutritionist, my cook, and with my manager Jason Breen, basically I’m very lucky to make my job simplified. You sit on top of her (Bellatrix Star) and there’s a lot to like about her. She was a bit cantankerous before the race and eager to get on with it. She raced really well, was very effective late, and solid, and for the future she’s already effective down the straight, so for a three-year-old filly at this time of year I think there’s a nice race in a couple of weeks for her at Flemington.’m grateful for the ride and everyone’s done a great job, and most importantly she’s delivered – so, good girl.”

On footing upgraded to Good3, Bellatrix Star ran 1100 metres in 1:02.9 and she paid $6.70 & $2.00 on the NZ TAB tote.

BELLATRIX STAR –  5th Raceday win – Caulfield – 12th October 2024 – Craig Wiiliams aboard

(image by Race Photos)

On course, assistant trainer Ben Gleeson said: “Craig (Williams) said he’d leave her alone and see where she got to in the run. He was patient, had so much confidence in the horse, and getting to the middle of the track to let down just highlights how well she is going. Mark (Walker) and John Galvin thought she would measure up. They took a punt to bring her over here, which is a big jump to make, and hats off to the teams in New Zealand and Australia. And Laura Winks that rides her has done an amazing job.”

The victory continued a great current run of success for trainer Mark Walker, who has prepared five winners from the last nine runners out of the Te Akau stables at Cranbourne, while also increasing the broader picture of having top sprinters in Melbourne.

Bellatrix Star follows in the footsteps of NZ Horse of the Year Imperatriz (I Am Invincible), who won five Group One sprint races last season in Melbourne, while Sans Doute (Not A Single Doubt) recorded four sprint victories in a row, including the ATA/Bob Hoysted Stakes (Listed, 1000m), before finishing second in the Hawkes Stakes (Gr. 3, 1100m).

“It was fantastic to win that race today, with an absolutely gun ride by Craig Williams,” Walker said. “She’s just going from strength to strength and beating the older horses, the first filly to do so in 21 years, just shows what a special achievement it was. So now it will be all systems go towards the Coolmore on Derby Day.”

The $1.5m Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) is contested by three-year-olds on Saturday 2 November at Flemington.\

“She’s just in such good form and deserves a crack at such an elite race, now, and it’s quite incredible to think what a great value yearling purchase she was by Dave (Ellis) at Karaka, off Phoenix Park, which is a great farm, and she was bred by Mark Pilkington and his crew at Seymour Park,” Walker added.

Owned by Fortuna Bellatrix Star Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin), she was purchased for $80,000 by David Ellis CNZM and Fortuna Racing at the Karaka 2023 Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Phoenix Park, and her five wins from nine starts have yielded NZ$685,755 in prize money.

“From my perspective, I thought she put in a fantastic performance today,” said John Galvin, who was in Melbourne a day earlier to see stable-mate and Fortuna Racing filly Our Paramour (Contributer) win at Cranbourne, before topping the trip off with Bellatrix Star. It’s always challenging when you’ve only been racing against your own age group and sex to then step up into a weight-for-age race on the big stage. I was quietly confident that she was going to perform well and what we saw from her today vindicated that confidence because once again she was quite dominant in the end. Craig (Williams) rode her the way he said he was going to ride her. He told us: “if she’s good enough she’ll gather them up in the run home”, and she certainly proved to be good enough. It was a bit like Moonee Valley last time. The same thing happened there, where you could see on the home turn that she had momentum and that she was going to surge. Her physical improvement between runs was quite remarkable, when looking at her in the stables yesterday. She’s strengthened, muscled, her coat was gleaming, and she didn’t take her head out of the feed bin.

“Three wins for Fortuna Racing in two days is quite remarkable. I think this girl is something special, though, and if she goes to the Coolmore, which is what we’re thinking, we’re going to have two runners in group races on Derby Day, with Our Paramour going to the Wakeful Stakes and Bellatrix Star in the Coolmore Stud Stakes. I give a huge vote of thanks to David Ellis for picking this girl out of the 2023 Karaka Sale for us and Mark Walker, aided by sterling perfomances from Ben Gleeson, trackwork rider, Laura Winks and the other stable staff at Cranbourne, have done an amazing job with her”

Stallion Star Witness (Starcraft) was a dominant winner of the Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m), down the straight course 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).

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.

Vivacious (4 m Dundeel – Vivi Veloce, by More Than Ready) continued a great run for Fortuna Racing when winning the $40,000 Clem & Russell Brand Memorial Rating 65 1400 metres on Saturday at Ashburton. Producing a notable effort for third in the Rating 65 1200 metres on 14 September at Riccarton, after resuming with a good fourth prior, Vivacious displayed ability when breaking through for an easy win over 1400 metres last season at Te Aroha, had clocked good sectionals, and rated a top four chance.

Following a terrific winning ride aboard stable-mate Fellini (Belardo) in the race beforehand, visiting Australian jockey Liam Riordan again pulled off a miraculous ride. From an awkward barrier (9), Vivacious was wide at the rear in the early rush for positions, stood the leader 10 lengths passing the 600m, but ascended quickly to the outside of horses at the 400m and sustained a huge finish to snatch victory by the barest (nose) of margins.

On Good 3 footing, Vivacious ran 1400 metres in 1:22.6 and paid $5.30 & $2.30 on the NZ TAB tote.

“She certainly had to do it the hard way, getting so back and being the widest in the straight, but she just kept on coming to make up a lot of ground,” said co-trainer Mark Walker, who trains with Sam Bergerson. “She’s been a slower maturing type of filly, now mare, but has shown previously to rattle off some pretty impressive sectionals and she’s had to do that again today in order to win. It looks like she needs genuine good ground to show her best, and the tempo of the race today worked in her favour after getting so far back.”

Click HERE to see the race result and replay

Owned by Fortuna Vivacious Syndicate  she was purchased for $60,000 by Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM and Fortuna Racing at the 2022 Ready To Run Sale, from the draft of Riverrock Farm.

Reporting in from Caulfield racecourse, in readiness for Bellatrix Star (Star Witness) contesting the $300,000 Henley Homes Schillaci Stakes (Gr. 2, 1100m), Fortuna Director John Galvin said: “I thought she was 100 to 1 when she turned for home, but she sailed down the outside and won. She’s a filly that has shown us a bit of quality and not always had all favours, but today everything came right and I think she’s got a fairly bright future. We on a bit of a roll and let’s hope it continue,” added Galvin, after Our Paramour (Contributer) won the day beforehand over 2025 metres at Cranbourne, in preparation for the $300,000 Wakeful Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m) on Derby Day (2 Nov.) at Flemington, while Bellatrix Star comes off back-to-back wins in the Cap D’Antibes Stakes (Listed, 1100m) and Scarborough Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m). We’ve had a long and successful association with Te Akau training horses for Fortuna, and it’s great to see our colours being carried to victory in both New Zealand and Australia.”

Vivacious wins at Asburton 12th October 2024 – Liam Riordan aboard

Vivacious is a filly by remarkable racehorse Dundeel (High Chaparral), who stamped himself as well above average from the day he blew his two-year-old rivals off the track on debut over 1200 metres at Ellerslie. The six time Group One winner gained titles on both sides of the Tasman: Champion 3YO and Horse of the Year in New Zealand, and Champion Middle Distance horse in Australia. He ended his racing career winning the $4m Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) and his progeny have been highly sought after.

The dam side of pedigree is particularly rich. Incredibly, world renowned dam-sire More Than Ready (Southern Halo) has sired over 4300 winners including 290 stakes winners and 50 Group One winners, and already proving an exceptional Australian broodmare sire. He has been Champion Sire in both hemispheres, proved an outstanding sire of sires and going from strength-to-strength as a broodmare sire. Vivacious carries a bloodline cross to immortal sire Northern Dancer. Her dam, Vivi Veloce, was a Group Three winner over 1200 metres in Australia, and grand-dam Royal Sash (Royal Academy) also won at Group Three level among five wins to 1400 metres.

Vivacious is raced by the Fortuna Vivacious Syndicate, an Ownership Group consisting of 58 individuals, maily from New Zealand, but also from Hong Kong

Vivacious was strapped by Talib Hussain.

Continuing to make terrific headway, Our Paramour (3 f Contributer – Victory Parade, by Street Sense) won the $40,000 Ladbrokes Own Spring Maiden 2025 metres on 11 October at Cranbourne (Victoria).

After finishing third and first, respectively, in two trials last season in New Zealand, Our Paramour transferred to the Te Akau stables at Cranbourne, where she finished second in a jump out on the home course before squeezing through late for third when debuting in the Maiden 3YO Fillies 1300 metres there on 5 September. She then produced a strong effort for third in the Crown Oaks Preview 1800 metres on 22 September at Flemington, and was bet to microscopic odds ($1.40) for her Cranbourne assignment.

Drawn barrier one, with Blake Shinn aboard for the third consecutive time, Our Paramour, back in the field and on the rail, negated a pocket to be outside the leader with 600m to travel and although not having everything her own way in the straight, she nonetheless found plenty to draw away for a good win. On footing rated Good4, Our Paramour ran the 2025 metres in 2:07.5.

Click HERE to see the race result and replay

“It was a really good win, in race one heading into a night meeting at Cranbourne, and a lovely ride of Blake Shinn’s,” said trainer Mark Walker. “They’ve struck up a great association and the win will really get her confidence levels up, and we’re on target now for the $300,000 Wakefield Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m) on Derby Day (2 Nov.) at Flemington, and then onto the VRC Oaks. She’s a filly that Dave (Ellis) and John (Galvin) bought for a really good price ($75,000) at the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka, and it’s always great to get wins on the board for John and Jessica Galvin and the Fortuna Racing owners. They’ve been terrific supporters of the stable for many years now, and they’re having a lot of luck in Australia at the moment which is great to see. She’s still learning and a little bit green, this filly, but been aided by lovely rides from Blake, and Ben (Gleeson) and the team have got all the horses going really well.”

Our Paramour – Maiden Victory – Cranbourne 11th October 2024 – Blake Shinn aboard

(image by Race Photos)

All going well and safely through her next assignment, Our Paramour is scheduled to contest the $1m VRC Oaks (Gr. 1, 2500m) on Thursday 7 November at Flemington.

Our Paramour became the fourth winner from the last eight runners that Mark Walker has lined-up in Victoria, including Fortuna Racing filly Bellatrix Star (Star Witness) who won the Scarborough Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) on 27 September at Moonee Valley, after being successful in the Cap D’Antibes Stakes (Listed, 1100m) on 14 September at Flemington.

Our Paramour was purchased by David Ellis CNZM and Fortuna Racing for $75,000 at the 2023 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka, from the draft of Mapperley Stud.

On course at Cranbourne, and in readiness to watch Bellatrix Star contest the $300,000 Henley Homes Schillaci Stakes (Gr. 2, 1100m) on Saturday at Caulfield, John Galvin said: “I’m here at the races at Cranbourne, with Neil Cooper from Stratford and John Nixon from Pukekohe, who are in both Our Paramour and Bellatrix Star. She was well picked out at the sales by David and Mark and we paid a fair price for her, which was more or less the sort of level we like to pay for that type of horse. She’s definitely an out and out staying filly and Blake Shinn made the comment to me after the race that she’s looking for a mile and a half (2400m) already.

“It was only her third start and she’s still a bit green, but Blake said she just has to run in a race where she has something to chase. There’s not a lot of her, not the biggest horse in the world, about 460-kilos, but she’s really come on the coat since I last saw her a month ago and she just keeps on improving. The gear change tonight, taking the hood off and going to visor blinkers, I think was significant, and she was well ridden by Blake to take the gaps when they appeared. Well done to Mark Walker and Ben Gleeson for the way they have handled and prepared this Filly

“Of interest, Carol Dunlop from Cambridge, one of our long time owners, is in the ownership of Our Paramour and she had success back in 1979 with Brava Jeannie who won the VRC Triple Crown, which in those days was the 1000 Guineas, Wakeful Stakes and the VRC Oaks.”

Our Paramour is by Mapperley Stud stallion Contributer (High Chaparral), who, tragically, passed away in September this year.

Australian Middle Distance Horse of the Year, Contributer (High Chaparral) was a dual Group One winner in the Chipping Norton (Gr. 1, 1600m) and Ranvet Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m), and Champion Second Season Sire in New Zealand. From his first crop, David Ellis purchased subsequent Group One winner Campionessa, whose 11 wins have earned over $1.3m in prize money.

Our Paramour is raced by the Fortuna Our Paramour Syndicate, an Ownership Group consisting of  65 individuals from New Zealand and Australia

She was strapped by Abbey Reid