With a flawless display of jumping, Leaderboard (9 g Street Cry – Flower Fairy, by Dynaformer) easily won the $40,000 Warrnambool BM120 Steeplechase (3450m) on 23 June at Warrnambool, Victoria. The former Wellington Cup (Gr. 3, 3200m) and St Leger (Listed, 2600m) winner has taken to jumps racing like a duck to water and after easily winning (3 ¼ lengths) the Maiden Hurdle (3200m) on 30 April at Warrnambool, he recently stepped up with a great performance for second in the Australian Hurdle (3900m) on 2 June at Sandown.

Ridden again by former New Zealand Champion Jumps Jockey of the Year Aaron Kuru, who recently combined with him to win on the course and partnered stable-mate Prismatic (Savabeel) for second in the prior race, a 3200-metre hurdle, Leaderboard jumped brilliantly in front throughout and kept dishing it up to win by three and a half lengths. In the race sponsored by Michelin Service Centre, hotly supported Leaderboard appreciated the Soft6 footing and paid $1.90 & $1.20 on the NZ TAB tote.

Click HERE to see the replay

“It was a brilliant display of jumping and a lovely ride of Aaron’s,” said Mark Walker, from the Te Akau training base at Cranbourne. “Leaderboard has really taken to the jumping caper and absolutely loves it. He can jump off a short stride, a long stride, he’s very nimble, and really has huge potential. It’s great for Fortuna Racing, John & Jessica Galvin and their owners, they have a great understanding of racing and it’s lovely to train Leaderboard in Australia, and for him to have now won his first steeplechase assignment.”

Walker said that Leaderboard will be prepared for the $100,000 Thackery Steeplechase (3450m) in a fortnight (Sunday 7 July) at Warrnambool, prior to the $300,000 Australian Grand National Hurdle (4200m) on Sunday 4 August at Sandown, and finish his Australian campaign in the $350,000 Australian Grand National Steeplechase (4500m) on Sunday 25 August at Ballarat.

“They are three really big assignments ahead of him, but we do think he is a top-class jumper,” Walker added.
“Leaderboard” – Warrnambool Steeples Victory –  23rd June 2024

Owned by Fortuna Leaderboard Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin), Leaderboard was purchased in October 2018 at the Tattersalls Sale in U.K., and his nine wins have yielded over $450,000 in earnings.

“I’ve been watching jumping races most my life and seen some pretty good jumpers in that time, but this boy is really showing to have the goods,” John Galvin said about the horse who goes by the stable name “Tiger”. “He’s very measured, calm, and methodical with his jumping, but he also has the turn of foot that has seen him win good races on the flat. He looked to have them in trouble a fair way out and we had the right man in the saddle in Aaron Kuru,  who rated him perfectly, kept him out of trouble, except for when the riderless horse came alongside over the concluding stages.”

At the time of purchase, Galvin said: “I asked (bloodstock agent) Hubie de Burgh to find a European bred stayer that had a typical pedigree and the type that could turn into a cups horse down here (New Zealand). So, he went to the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale and picked him out. We had a budget of 70 to 80,000 Guineas and we got him for 75,000.”

His sire Street Cry (Machiavellian) also left Winx, world record holder of 25 Group One races, Champion US mare Zenyatta, Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, and Melbourne Cup winner Shocking, so stamina runs in the blood and Leaderboard has his share.

“We’ve had Leaderboard for nearly six years and he’s probably only been a bit in and out with his form because he hasn’t been able to run in enough races that are long enough for him,” Galvin added. “He showed us when winning the Wellington Cup and St Leger, and third in the New Zealand Cup, what he could do over ground, and now he’s excelling in the jumping game. I would like to be there for his next start in the Thackery (Steeplechase). It’s a bit of a mission, three and a half hours on the train to Warrnambool from Melbourne, but it’s a great venue and I heard the commentator say that the meeting in July is always a sell out, as well.

“And a big congrats to Mark Walker with how he has handled this horse. Since Mark has come back to New Zealand from Singapore and taken over the training of Leaderboard – he was going well for Jamie (Richards) – but with the extra time, Mark has taken him to another level and handled him to perfection. He’s really got to understand the horse.

“Several of the Leaderboard members are also in Malborough Bay (Darci Brahma) as well (winner a day earlier at Tauranga), so they’ve had a double for the weekend.”

Leaderboard is raced by the Fortuna Leaderboard Syndicate, an ownership Group of 73 individuals, 72 NZ based and 1 based in the Northern Territory, Australia

Leaderboard was strapped by Hailey Morton.

Recording his fourth victory, Malborough Bay (4 g Darci Brahma – Spin ‘N Grin, by Spinning World) took out the $35,000 Rating 75 1400 metres Freeman Challenge Ultimate Cup  on Saturday at Tauranga. A winner three starts ago over 1400 metres at Te Rapa, Malborough Bay had continued to race solidly and ran fastest last 600m (37.5) from a handy position for third in the Rating 75 1600 metres on 6 June at New Plymouth. Ridden by Te Akau apprentice Jess Allen (claiming 3kgs), who was keen to utilize barrier one and lead, Malborough Bay was softened up for a majority of the race, but appeared to travel better than those around him turning home and proved quite dominant in the finish to win by three-quarters of a length. In winning The Freeman Ultimate Champion Cup, Malborough Bay ran 1400 metres in 1:26.9, last 600m in 37.3 (approx.), and paid $5.20 & $1.70 on the NZ TAB tote.

Click HERE to see the race replay

Watching the race from the Te Akau training base in Cranbourne, Victoria, co -Trainer Mark Walker was fulsome in his praise for his young apprentice  “Full credit to Jess Allen because the way she rode him had a lot to do with winning the race,” Walker, who trains in partnership with Sam Bergerson said. “She was positive and having worked hard on her fitness, she was able to keep the horses going strongly. Her riding has gone to another level over the past three months. She knew she had to get stronger in riding out in the finish and her improvement has been substantial. She can now pull the stick through and has the ability to use it in her left hand. So her effort and sheer determination is paying dividends and she’s a valuable asset to the stable with her three-kilo claim.

“Malborough Bay has been doing a ton of schooling over fences and actually shows great promise over the hurdles. He’s been a pretty good horse for the owners, who have been patient, since winning first-up as a two-year-old. His form flattened out for a while when he wasn’t physically strong enough to go to the next level, but he’s improving with age and full credit to John Galvin of Fortuna Racing because he’s always patient with his horses and never pushes them unnecessarily. John never gets despondent, understands the ebbs and flows of racing and along with his wife Jessica and their owners, it’s always a pleasure to train for them.”

MALBOROUGH BAY – 4th career win – Tauranga 22nd June 2024 – Jessica Allen aboard

Malborough Bay was bred by Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM and Glenn & Cathie Holmes, this after Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM bought his dam, Spin ‘N Grin (Spinning World), for $65,000 at the 2003 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale and proved to be  a very good filly when trained by Mark Walker in winning the Eight Carat Classic (Gr. 2, 1600m) at only her fourth start, finished third a week later in the Royal Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m), and unlucky when second at her seventh start in the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m).

Fortuna Racing’s John Galvin was on course along with a few Members of his Ownership Group and was a happy man post race. “Steve Freeman, who sponsored the race, is well known to us as he has shares in a few Fortuna runners, although not Malborough Bay and it was a great pleasure to receive the Freeman Cup from Steve” he said  “and it was a lovely strong effort by the horse –  he has struggled a little bit in Rating 75 grade on a Saturday, but we made the decision to come to this race and as it turned out, with a smaller field and the barrier draw (1), the plan was to be positive. We claimed three-kilos down to 54kg with Jess Allen aboard and she gave him a lovely ride – she didn’t let up on him in the run home and she executed the instructions to perfection. Big kudos to Mark and Sam as they started to school this horse over the Hurdles about three months ago and I think it’s improved him not only physically but mentally as well – he’s stronger and more resolute in his racing.”

The win by Malborough Bay was the 161^st this season for Walker & Bergerson and somewhat of a milestone in Te Akau racing history as former trainer Jamie Richards, now training in Hong Kong, set a new record of 160 wins in 2020/21, which was subsequently surpassed by Mark Walker last season with a tally of 203 domestic victories. Whichever way you look at it, it reflects another great season for everyone involved with the stable and a special moment for Sam Bergerson in his first season of training.

Malborough Bay is raced by the Fortuna Malborough Bay Syndicate, an Ownership Group of 55 individuals from New Zealand, Australia and Malaysia. He was acquired by Fortuna Racing from his Breeders Karyn Fenton-Ellis and Glenn/Cathie Holmes in a private sale in 2021

Malborough Bay was strapped by Ahbi Pawar.

Te Akau trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson and Fortuna Racing made an impact early on the programme at Riccarton, when Mitre Peak (3 f More Than Ready – Liten Prinsessa, by Bernardini) won the $17,000 Entain – NZB Insurance Pearl Series Maiden Fillies & Mares 1200 metres – and collecting an additional $20,000 Pearl Series Bonus on top of her winning prize money. Breaking through to the winners circle at her fifth start, Mitre Peak improved notably last start when finishing strongly for fourth in the Maiden 1200 metres on 16 May, also on the poly track at Riccarton, and had 15 days between runs to score on 31 May.

Away well from barrier two to trail for Te Akau apprentice Niranjan Parmar, Mitre Peak capitalized on a rails run in the straight and gamely held a winning advantage inside the 200m. Running 1200 metres in 1:10.3 on the poly track, she won by a neck after drifting in market fluctuations from $4.60 to pay $6.40 & $1.70 on the NZ TAB tote.

Click HERE to see the race replay

Mitre Peak became the 65^th win for the premiership leading trainers from their southern stable at Riccarton, and they have established a terrific 3.9 strike rate this season at the Riccarton base. “It’s always good to get a winner for Fortuna Racing,” Walker said. “They are great supporters of Te Akau. She’s been a slower maturing filly, but she’s got a lovely pedigree and that will enhance her value after winning today. It was a lovely ride of Parmar’s. He’s riding with a lot of confidence and got the timing of the race to perfection. She will continue to improve with time, also, but really starting to put it altogether now.”

Owned by Fortuna Mitre Peak Syndicate (Manager: John Galvin), she was purchased for $60,000 by David Ellis CNZM/Fortuna Racing at Inglis 2022 Classic Yearling Sale in Sydney.

“We didn’t pay a lot of money for her, but she’s got a lovely pedigree,” said John Galvin, while packing for Melbourne, in preparation for last start hurdle winner Leaderboard (Street Cry) contesting the Australian Hurdle (3900m) on Sunday at Sandown. “She was actually passed in at that Inglis sale, but with Mark Walker’s help, we chased her down and  managed to get her for the price she was passed in at, so it was good buying. Mark and Sam have been very patient with her, giving her the time she’s needed to mature, and she had been building towards a win. Her last start was very encouraging. She got a nice trip today and was well handled by Parmar. He got her into a nice spot and the leader rolled off the rail, so she never went around a horse. She’s still furnishing physically, but she’s in great order, still has a really nice coat, and I think she’s in the right place. Sending her south has been a good call and she obviously likes the synthetic (poly track).”

MITRE PEAK records her Maiden win – Riccarton Synthetic 31st May – Niranjan Parmar aboard

From the last crop of world renowned sire More Than Ready (Southern Halo), with over 2000 winners, Mitre Peak is from Liten Prinsessa, by another worldwide acclaimed sire Bernardini (A. P. Indy).

Liten Prinsessa, winner of four races to 1400 metres in Australia, is a sister to Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m) winner and Champion Two-Year-Old Ruud Awakening, now the dam of Group Three winner Rise Of The Masses (Russian Revolution). Both Liten Prinsessa and Ruud Awakening are out of Dawn Almighty (Danehill), dam of seven individual winners of 31 races, while the family includes dual Group Two winner Ruud Van Slaats (Van Nistelrooy), whose daughter Smashing (Pins) was trained by Te Akau to win six races and stakes place twice. Mitre Peak carries a Northern Dancer cross on the dam line of both Southern Halo and Liten Prinsessa.

Mitre Peak was strapped by Hollie Smith and is raced by the Fortuna Mitre Peak Syndicate, an Ownership Group consisting of 53 individuals, mostly from NZ but with one syndicate Member from Australia