FORTUNA’s promising 3yo SIR DARCI ( Darci Brahma-Dominant) steps out in the $100,000 Karaka 3yo Mile at Ellerslie Sunday 27th January. On an evening dominated by the $1m Karaka Million event for 2yo’s, the Karaka 3yo Mile is, nevertheless, a very worthy undercard event.

SIR DARCI, who won a Maiden race at Gisborne in September, was then spelled and on resuming, ran a close up 4th at Taupo and then a bold third at Ellerslie over 1400 metres on 11th January, setting him up nicely for the 1600 metre event at Ellerslie today. Fortuna Director, John Galvin, reflects on SIR DARCI’s prospects. ” The two well performed fillies in the event, Spellbinder and Hera are clearly strong prospects given their form and ratings and the set weight conditions of the race, however SIR DARCI has taken strong natural improvement from his two resuming runs. From his nine barrier draw, he will be ridden mid field and rider Kelly Myers will endeavour to use his turn of foot to finish the event off strongly. 

Bred by The Oaks Stud, SIR DARCI is trained by NZ’s leading trainer, Jason Bridgman, is a graduate of the 2012 Karaka Premier Sales where he was selected for Fortuna by David Ellis  and is owned by the Fortuna Sir Darci Syndicate, an ownership Group consisting of thirty one people.

KING SAVINSKY wins stylishly at Rotorua
by Jeff Dore

King Savinsky in work

Backed as if unbeatable, and rightly so given his form, King Savinsky(3 g Savabeel – Lynisky, by Stravinsky) delivered the desired result in the Mills Reef Winery & Restaurant Maiden 1950 metres on Jan. 6 at Rotorua, and in doing so gave the trainer and jockey combination, Jason Bridgman and Matt Cameron, their third success for the day.

Each on top of their game, leading their respective premierships, with Bridgman having already gained 45 wins this season, and Cameron 73 in the saddle, the duo made the seven-race programme their own with additional dominant wins by the promising debutante Equanimity (More Than Ready) and the strapping newbie Rapid Gain (Flying Spur).

Purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $90,000 at the 2012 NZB Select Yearling Sales, from the draft of Phoenix Park, and owned the Fortuna King Savinsky Syndicate (managed by John Galvin), King Savinksy rated as one of the best Maidens in the country given his form in stakes races and the stakes victories around him.

At his previous start he ran home solidly for fourth on Dec. 15 in the Championship Prelude (Listed, 2100m) at Ellerslie, with the second placed horse Show The World (High Chaparral) going on to win the Championship Stakes (Gr. 2, 2100m). Prior to, he finished sixth to subsequent Royal Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m) winner Rising Romance (Ekraar) in the Trevor Eagle Memorial (Listed, 1500m) at Ellerslie. And with form behind subsequent 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner Atlante (Fastnet Rock) in the Canterbury Stakes (Listed, 1600m) at Riccarton, and Great Northern Guineas (Gr. 2, 1600m) winner Puccini (Encosta De Lago) when second to him at Taupo, he was clearly the one to beat.

Starting at the top of the straight, King Savinsky was sent forward to take up a handy position in fourth. Nicely poised at the 600 metres and unimpeded when staking his claim around the home turn he stayed on in good fashion to win by three-quarters of a length.

“I think we should give the credit to Jason (Bridgman) for his ability to analyse the horse’s racing pattern and he made the decision to bring him back to a weaker grade and take the blinkers off,” said Fortuna boss John Galvin. “The form around him had been very good and the horses finishing in front had all been performing, and at times he had not quite been doing everything right – changing legs in the run for example. But today he was very relaxed and I was interested to note that he never gawked around in the straight, whereas in the past, even with blinkers on, he was keen to look around.

“So, I think Jason might have worked the oracle by ironing out that little wrinkle,” said Galvin. “It’s a fantastic syndicate of owners and I think there was eighteen including myself there today; they travelled from all over the country to come and watch him race.

“One of my questions to Matt (Cameron) after the race was: ‘is he still a Derby contender’? And he said ‘yes, for sure’. So I guess races like the Waikato Guineas (Gr. 2, 2000m) [Feb. 1 at Te Rapa] or Avondale Guineas (Gr. 2, 2100m) [Feb. 15 at Ellerslie] are still on his agenda,” said Galvin.

“Obviously, bringing him back from good company to Maiden company and he wins by a length, but he did win strongly, on a track that doesn’t really suit him, it’s a bit hard to gauge the quality, hence my question to Matt. We have pitched him into the deep end several times before, so I don’t see any reason why we should stop doing so when we’re only seven weeks away from the Derby [$750,000 NZ Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m) March 1 at Ellerslie]. So, we need to keep pressing on in good company and let him tell us whether he’s up to the grade or not. He is a dead-set staying type and I think a Dead4 or 5 would suit him better for sure but there have been more wet Derbies than dry Derbies in recent years,” said Galvin.

Fortuna 3yo, OUR RIVER DANCER, seeks to win for the first time tonight in a Maiden event over 1600 metres on the Polytrack. He is is Race 2 @ 11.50pm NZ time. Nicely drawn, he is down in grade and has the very experienced Lisa Allpress in the saddle.

Two Year Old Gelding

by KEEPER out of HIGHRANK

Acquired 19th November at Karaka Ready To Run Sale

$4,700 for a 5% share

Identified by Mark Walker as one of his top picks from the pre sale Breeze Up Gallops, David Ellis inspected this horse on behalf of Fortuna and gave it the thumbs up.  Click HERE to view the breeze up. The Keeper  is on the near side ( No 33). Note that this Horse will go straight to Singapore to race once he has had additional  preparation here in NZ and trialled; we anticipate a date of travel will be around mid February.

KEEPER needs no introduction as a high quality Sire, who consistently features  in the top Ten Sire list in NZ and whose progeny have had much success in Singapore and Hong Kong,  while the Dam Sire is GENERAL NEDIYM, one of Australia’s leading Sires and the Grandam Sire is none other than the mighty ZABEEL.

On arrival in Singapore this horse will be racing for S$75,000 at his first start as a Maiden horse (compared to just $7,000 in NZ). As well as that, he will be eligible to compete in the very lucrative 2yo Series events run during May, June and July. The May event carries prizemoney of S$500,000 (note that Singapore $$ and NZ $$$ are almost identical). As a 3yo from 1st August 2014, he will be eligible for two sets of 3yo Series, one series run in the Spring, the other run in the Autumn, culminating in the Singapore Guineas run in May 2015 for a Stake of S$500,000.

Initial Costs for a 10% share are $9,400, a 5% share $4700 and a 2.5% share $2350. Note initial costs include the full cost of transportation and quarantine  to Singapore plus over $9,000 of working capital and insurance coverage until 31st January 2015. Ongoing costs are $300 per month per 10% share, $150 per 5% share and $75 per month per 2.5% share commencing 1st January 2014. There are no other costs.

Contact John Galvin directly 021 921 460 or email HERE if you wish to participate in the ownership of this powerful Horse. You can also call our Freephone number 0800 100 667 at any time (24/7) and either speak to us or leave a message.

Applications can only be made after Investors have perused and signed the NZ Thoroughbred Racing approved Disclosure Statement. This can be obtained from Fortuna Director, John Galvin by emailing john@fortuna-nz.com or calling John on (+64) 21 921 460.

Note, all pricings are in NZ$.

5yo Gelding EATONS GOLD, made it four wins from twenty five starts when taking out a Class 4 event over 1000 metres in Singapore last night. Raced by the FORTUNA EATONS GOLD Syndicate, he was purchased at the 2010 Karaka Sales for Fortuna by David Ellis.

See story from Singapore Turf Club website below. And Click HERE to see race replay

Six year old MANNY PACUIAO who has been racing well, but without luck, seeks to add to his winning record in Singapore tonight when he competes in a Kranji Stakes D event over 1200 metres. While well placed in the event on form, MANNY PACUIAO will need some luck as he has drawn the outside barrier. He will be ridden by Te Akau Stable apprentice Shafiq Rusof, who claims 2kgs.

Friday night sees 3yo OUR RIVER DANCER wear blinkers for the first time in a Restricted Maiden event over 1200 metres on the Polytrack. OUR RIVER DANCER will be ridden by Te Akau Racing Apprentice Willy Tan who will claim 3kgs.

Race 5 sees the talented, but injury prone, JETSET MAN tackle the 1600 metre trip for the first time in a Kranji Stakes D event. He will be ridden by Shafiq Rusof.

On Sunday, 4yo READY FORTUNE contests a Maiden event over 1200 metres. READY FORTUNE has run second four times in Singapore so is due some luck. He will be ridden by Stable Apprentice Willy Tan.

Smart 2yo DARCI’S DREAM ( Darci Brahma-Sweet Dreams Baby) takes the first steps toward making her owners’ dreams come true, when she makes her race day debut over 880 metres at Ellerslie on Saturday. A  smart trials winner at Te Teko in August, ” Baby” as she is nicknamed, has continued to impress trainer Jason Bridgman with her natural speed and ability since. ” We certainly have the Karaka Million in our sights for her, so this debut run at Ellerslie is very much a first step toward that target,” he says.

Fortuna Director, John Galvin, acquired DARCI’S DREAM at Karaka 2013 Select Sale and is raced by the Fortuna Darci’s Dream Syndicate, an ownership group of 30 people. She will be ridden on Saturday by Te Akau Racing’s Apprentice, Michael Dee, who claims 3kgs.

Trainer Jason Bridgman and Fortuna Director John Galvin, didn’t have to agonise too much about throwing 3yo Gelding, KING SAVINSKY ( Savabeel-Lynisky) into the deep end by entering him into the Hollaway Canterbury Stakes ( Listed) at Riccarton this weekend. While still a Maidener, KING SAVINSKY has run two strong seconds in his last two runs at Ruakaka and Taupo, with a bit of bad luck on both occasions. ” Yes, it is a big step up in class for the horse,” says John Galvin,” but he has shown us enough both in his work and on race day to be given the opportunity at this level. It is certainly an excellent chance for him to demonstrate that he is up to the class.” 

A big, strong, powerful type standing at 16.3 hands, KING SAVINSKY does look  more of a 2000 metre plus type, but will be well suited by the big roomy Riccarton track on Saturday.

Selected for Fortuna by David Ellis at Karaka 2012 Select Sale, KING SAVINSKY is raced by an ownership group consisting of 35 people. He will be ridden by Jillian Morris.