Promising 3yo, READY FORTUNE ( More Than Ready-Bahira) has his second start in Singapore Sunday 24th February. READY FORTUNE debuted in Singapore earlier in February on the Poly Track surface and raced fairly, although was ridden closer to the pace than was planned. This Sunday, he races on the Turf track, which according to Trainer Mark Walker, he will prefer. Drawn wide for the 1200 metre trip, the race plan is for rider, Singapore’s leading apprentice, Shafiq Rusof, to ride the horse quietly and have him do his best work at the finish.

Two runners for Fortuna Thoroughbred Syndicators in Singapore Friday 22nd February  First up is the 4yo LORD ROBERTO (Encosta de Lagp-{rozed Glory) a previous winner in Singapore over the 1600 metre trip, but who tonight attempts the 1800 metre distance for the first time. General assessment of LORD ROBERTO is that the further he goes, the better he will be, as he is a dour staying type. LORD ROBERTO will be ridden by Singapore’s leading apprentice, Sahfiq Rusof, who will claim 2kgs. Race time is 7.20pm Singapore time, 12.20am( Saturday morning) NZ time.

In race nine, VON SNITZEL ( Snitzel-Lumir) resumes after a long spell over 1000 metres. The wide barrier draw makes it tricky for him, but given a fast pace up front, he can be right in it at the finish. VON SNITZEL will also be ridden by Shafiq Rusof, who claims 2kgs. Race time is 10.20pm Singapore time and 3.20am ( Sat morning) NZ Time.

After running on tighter provincial South Island tracks in recent starts, FORTUNA’s 3yo Filly, KAYLEEN ( Towkay-Indomitable), now gets her chance  on the roomy Riccarton track, Wednesday 13th February. Coming back to the 1200 metre distance, down the Riccarton chute, the race plan is to ride KAYLEEN with some cover, in order to get her to relax more in her racing. FORTUNA Director, John Galvin, explains. ” She is a naturally speedy filly, who just likes to get up and run, however, this natural ablity has meant she has been running on the pace or in the lead and she has not learned to relax and drop the bridle in her racing. Tomorrow, we want rider, Matt Cameron, to settle her in behind the speed with cover, get her to relax, have her come off the bit and then use her speed at the end of the race. The Riccarton chute presents a good opportunity for us to teach her a bit more about the racing game.”

Race details here:

Course: Riccarton
Track:  currently dead 4 & fine
Date:    Wednesday 13 February
Race:    1
Time:    1:10 pm
Event:  Maiden 1200m
Draw:  4 of 10
Weight:  56
Jockey: Matthew Cameron
KAYLEEN

The nicely bred 3yo Colt, READY FORTUNE ( More Than Ready – Bahira), makes his highly anticipated Singapore debut on Sunday 3rd February. “BASIL”, as he is known to his handlers and ownership group (Fortuna No 21 Syndicate) had two starts in NZ in the Spring of 2012, but then transferred to the care of Te Akau Racing Stables Singapore Trainer, Mark Walker.

READY FORTUNE has progressed nicely through his initial Singapore preparation and debuts over 1200 metres on the Poly Track. He will be ridden by Singapore Champion Jockey, Joao Moreira

RACE DETAILS HERE

·        RACE DATE:  Sunday 3 February at Singapore Racecourse.
·        RACE NUMBER & TIME: Race 2 at 1.50pm (6.50pm NZ time)
·        HORSE NUMBER: 7
·        RACE DETAILS: Initiation Plate of $65,000
·        DISTANCE & TRACK: 1200m on the Polytrack
·        JOCKEY: J Moreira
·        WEIGHT: 54.5kgs
·       BARRIER: 7 of 12

READY FORTUNE about to trial January 8th 2013

EATON’S GOLD has fashioned a very consistent record in Singapore since going there in 2011. From thirteen raceday starts, he has won twice,only on two occasions has he not won stakes money and as a result has now won almost S$120,000.

EATON last started in October, before going for a spell and now resumes Friday 1st February over the distance of 1000 metres and will be ridden by Singapore’s leading Apprentice Jockey, Shafiq Rusof.

FORTUNA Director John Galvin is well pleased with his charge, ” I spent a week in Singapore in early January, inspecting all of the Fortuna horses in Singapore and was particularly impressed with EATONS GOLD. He has furnished up into a strong 4yo and both Trainer, Mark Walker and I, think that he could have a very productive year in Singapore during 2013.”

RACE DETAILS HERE

·        RACE DATE:  Friday 1 February at Singapore Racecourse.
·        RACE NUMBER & TIME: Race 9 at 10.20pm (3.20am Sat NZ time)
·        HORSE NUMBER: 1
·        RACE DETAILS: Class 4 Handicap of $55,000
·        DISTANCE & TRACK: 1000m on the Polytrack
·        JOCKEY: App R Shafiq
·        WEIGHT: 58kgs less 2kgs claim
·       BARRIER: 7 of 12

PRE RACE COMMENT FROM TRAINER MARK WALKER:
“I am really happy with Eaton’s Gold heading into Friday night’s race. He gets top weight however our leading apprentice, Shafiq, knows Eatons Gold very well and takes a valuable 2kgs off his back. The 1000m is a touch short of his best distance but while he is in a very fresh state I expect him to run a handy race first up, with number 2 looking the one to beat in this field.”

EATONS GOLD after Trackwork January 2013

Yearling Filly by the Champion European Sprinter SAKHEES SECRET out of Racewinning Mare, CAPARISON ( by Cape Cross)

NZ$5,250 for a 5% Share, or NZ$10,500 for a 10% share

SAKHEES SECRET-CAPARISON YEARLING FILLY

It is just so satisfying when a plan is made and then is able to be executed without a hitch. A key plank of the FORTUNA buying strategy at Karaka 3013 Sales, was to acquire a nicely bred filly with all of the necessary attributes to be a top class racehorse with the ultimate plan of taking it directly to Singapore to race (once broken in and trained through to trial level here in NZ), under the care of Te Akau Racing Stable’s Mark Walker, currently the leading trainer in Singapore.

So how did we do? Let us take a look at the key factors.

Pedigree:

By SAKHEES SECRET, rated the fastest racehorse in the world in 2007, he was ranked Europe’s Champion Sprinter that year and was the Top Colt on the World Turf Sprint Rankings. As a 3yo and against the older horses,, he won the prestigious Group One July Cup at Newmarket and was given a TimeForm rating of 128, a higher ranking than both of the Australian Superstar Sprinters, Miss Andretti and the mighty Takeover Target. SAKHEES SECRET was the Leading First Season Sire by Winners in Europe for the 2012 Season just ended.

Out of the 5 time race winning and black type placed racemare, CAPARISON ( by Cape Cross). CAPARISON is a full sister to KELANTAN, who won nine times in her career and interestingly enough, won most of her prizemoney ( in excess of NZ$500k) in Singapore and Malaysia.

A very strong pedigree, both on paper and on the racetrack.

Type:

Our newly acquired Filly has athleticism in spades as the accompanying picture will testify and was short listed some time ago as a prime prospect by Fortuna’s selectors, David Ellis and Mark Walker. An early foal (16th August 2011), she is well grown and developed and our initial assessment of her is that she will make a lovely 2yo. However, in addition to that, there is plenty in her pedigree to suggest she can also develop into a quality 3yo and an older mare; her dam won up to 1950 metres and KELANTAN herself won up to 1600 metres.

Price:

Well, what can I say? We were prepared to go to NZ$80,000 to acquire this Filly and to have her knocked down to us for just $47,500 was a good feeling.

Racing Plans:

Firstly, this Filly will head to a grassy paddock at Te Akau Stud in the Western Waikato for a good long spell for three months or so. In that time, she will develop and grow and once she has had sufficient spell, she will be broken in and then have her first preparation, here in NZ under the care of Te Akau NZ trainer, Jason Bridgman. Jason will take her through to trial fitness level and once she has trialed satisfactorily, she will travel to Singapore to be prepared by the Te Akau Singapore based Trainer, Mark Walker. Mark is, of course, a five time former NZ Champion Trainer, and while it is early days yet ( Singapore season starts 1st January). Mark is currently heading the Trainers Table in Singapore.

Acclimatisation is a key factor with horses going to race in Singapore and with the prime 2yo races in Singapore not being held until the Autumn ( March to July) of 2014, our racing plan certainly gives out filly plenty of time to adjust.

Why Singapore?

Prize money in Singapore is five to ten times higher than what it is in NZ; that is a pretty good reason for a start. When our Filly commences racing, she will be eligible for Restricted Maiden Grade, which pays prizemoney of S$65,000 ( One S$ is almost identical to NZ$1); here is NZ, she would be racing for just $7,000. As a Two Year old, she can race in the very lucrative 2yo series held between April and July 2014, with two races offering $200k and $325k respectively.

Secondly, not many fillies race in Singapore, but those that do have had some spectacular success. Fillies get a very significant weight allowance off the male horses (generally 1.5kgs) and weight differentials in the tightly handicapped grading system that prevails in Singapore are crucial.

Finally, Singapore racing offers superb prizemoney for “average” horses. If our Filly tuns out not be as good as our expectations, she can still have a very lucrative and profitable career contesting the excellent prizemoney offered for Class 3 and Class 4 horses.

The Syndication Opportunity:

Initial Costs include the price of the horse, GST, Insurance through to end of January 2014, Promoters Fees, all Sales Cost expenses ( Vet Report fees, transportation etc) PLUS the costs of transportation to Singapore, including Singapore Quarantine expenses PLUS a hefty amount of working capital ( $11,200) to cover contingencies. This will be a very well capitalised Syndicate.

A 10% share in this fine Filly will cost $10,500 for the Initial Expenses and $5,250 for a 5% Share. We will also do 2.5% Shares at just $2,625. All prices are in NZ$.

Ongoing Expenses will be $300 per month for a 10% share, $150 per month per 5% share and $75 per month per 2.5% share.

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 HERE or calling John (+64) 21 921 460.

John Galvin’s Marketing Assistant, James Galvin, at Karaka 2013

FORTUNA Director, John Galvin, as been his custom for the past few years, will be spending the next few days at the annual New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sales, looking for further additions to the FORTUNA team of thoroughbreds.

“My expectation of this year’s sale is that prices will be solid, rather than spectacular, the well presented lots with top pedigrees will sell very well as usual, but there will be excellent buying opportunities for buyers such as FORTUNA,” says John Galvin. ” In particular, I think there will be great buying at the Select Sale, especially with Fillies.”

John’s strategy at this Sales will be to acquire two nicely bred, athletic Colts that have the potential to be competitive in the Classic 3yo Guineas and Derby events plus a nicely bred filly by a top Sire to be aimed at the 2014 Karaka Million event.

A further option this year is to acquire a filly that will go to Singapore to race under the care of Mark Walker. ” This is an idea that Mark Walker has been promoting to me for a while. Not many fillies race in Singapore, but those that do have performed very well as they are well suited by the weight allowance they obtain there. The plan is to buy a nice type at the Karaka Sales, take advantage of the excellent growing and climatic conditions that NZ provides for young horses by breaking her in and giving her a preparation through to trial level, and then transport her to Singapore with the initial aim of contesting the very rich 2yo events run in Singapore from April through to July 2104.”

Readers who wish to register interest with FORTUNA for any purchases he may make at the Sales can contact John directly by cellphone 021 921 460 or email john@fortuna-nz.com

Typically a 5% share in a FORTUNA acquired yearling will be in a price range of NZ$5,000 to NZ$9,000; this initial cost includes ALL initial costs such as purchase of the horse, GST, 12 months insurance costs, Promoters fees plus a healthy amount of working capital. Monthly ongoing costs (commencing April 2013) will be  NZ$150 per month per 5% share.

LORD ROBERTO, the 4yo Gelding raced by the Fortuna (No 15) Syndicate, races at Singapore’s Kranji racecourse over 1400 metres on the Turf track Friday 25th January. LORD ROBERTO (Encosta de Lago-Prized Glory), put in a very bold run on January 6th, when resuming after a four month layoff, running a strong second placing over the 1200 metre trip, one far too short for him.

Highly regarded by his connections, LORD ROBERTO is a strong, dour staying type, who is on a path to the Singapore Derby, run in July 2013. He will be ridden again by Singapore’s Champion Jockey, Joao Moreira, who rode him at his last start.

LORD ROBERTO is fashioning a consistent record in Singapore to date, having a win, two seconds and a third from just four starts and over $57,000 in the bank from prizemoney to date.

Race Details Here:
·        RACE DATE:  Friday 25 January at Singapore Racecourse.
·        RACE NUMBER & TIME: Race 9 at 10.20pm (3.20am NZ time)
·        HORSE NUMBER: 3
·        RACE DETAILS: Class 4 Handicap of $55,000
·        DISTANCE & TRACK: 1400m on the Turf Long Course C
·        JOCKEY: J Moreira
·        WEIGHT: 56kgs
·       BARRIER: 4 of 14

KAYLEEN has been impressive without winning at her three previous starts, finishing 2nd twice and third once. Her last start 3rd was a resuming run after a spell over the 1150 metre distance which was probably a little short for her and she should relish the extra 200 metres of  Thursday’s race.

Syndicate Manager, John Galvin, is very pleased with his charge, ” Trainer Jason Bridgman has been very pleased with the quality of her work since her resuming run and she should run very boldly on Thursday.”

KAYLEEN will be ridden by the experienced Kylie Williams.

Race Details Here:

Course: Gore
Track:  currently dead 4 & fine
Date:    Thursday 24 January
Race:    4
Time:    2:55 pm
Event:  Maiden 1335m
Draw:  8 of 15
Weight:  55 kg
Jockey: Kylie Williams

KAYLEEN ( Inner) at trackwork