Six year old ELLIOT NESS (Written Tycoon – Walk with Attitude) defied the difficulties presented by his outside barrier draw when taking out the Class 4 1100m Polytrack event at Singapore’s Kranji Racecourse 27th January. Ridden by Te Akau Racing Stable Apprentice, Sarwi Jamil, Elliot Ness flew the gates from his wide Barrier and settled in 2nd place behind the leader. Presented at the top of the straight, Jamil bided his time before asking his mount for greater effort, but once he did, his run was inexorable, finishing the race with a one length margin in a time of 1.05.39.

Click HERE to see the race replay

ELLIOT NESS had won previously in August 2023, but after a couple more races, he was given a freshen up by Trainer Donna Logan before resuming on 14th Jan, finishing in 6th place after getting no luck from a wide draw

Trainer, Donna Logan, currently in New Zealand attending the NZ Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sales was a happy trainer after watching the race from Ellersie racecourse “Lovely win by a lovely horse and a great ride by young Jamil – well done to John Galvin of Fortuna Racing and his ownership team.”

“Elliot Ness” – 4th Singapore Win – 27th January 2024

Fortuna Racing’s John Galvin, watching from Ellersie racecourse in New Zealand on Karaka Million Day, was very proud of his charge. “I thought he may have difficulty in this race given his wide barrier draw, but Jamil had him away well, he showed good early speed and got  into a great position stalking the leader. He loves this trip and is fashioning a nice record in Singapore. 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  4^th and a 6^th 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 four times and had eighteen other prizemoney placing from 28 starts in Singapore and has Stakes Earnings of S$186,000 for his Ownership Group consisting of 44 individuals from NZ, Australia and Hong Kong

Angels Wings (4 m Heroic Valour – Gowana, by More Than Ready) continued her trend of milestone moments for Te Akau Racing when winning the $40,000 Rating 65 1100 metres on Saturday at Riccarton. When winning in July last year, Angels Wings became the 200^th winner in a record-breaking season for Mark Walker and on this occasion notched the 100^th domestic win for the Te Akau co-trainers Walker and Sam Bergerson. A winner twice previously to 1300 metres, Angels Wings finished fifth off a wide run in the Rating 65 1200 metres on 28 December at Timaru, and appeared ideally drawn (5) to race well.

Ridden by stable apprentice Joe Kamaruddin, Angels Wings took a short time to settle behind the leaders, quickened through to lead at the 200m and kept finding to stave off stable-mate Superbly Written (Written Tycoon) who did very well following an interrupted passage at the rear. In the race sponsored by Berkley Stud at Karaka 2024, Angels Wings ran 1100 metres in 1:01.8 on Good4 footing and drifted in betting to pay $10.20 & $3.10 on the NZ TAB tote.

Click HERE to see the race reult and replay

“She has got ability and we sent her to the South Island with the thinking that would be a more suitable environment for her to win races and reach her potential,” John Galvin said. “It’s a Saturday race and good prize money for the owners and I thought it was a clever decision by Mark (Walker) and Sam (Bergerson) to keep her fresh and run at 1100 metres on this occasion. She didn’t get all favours in the run last time at Timaru, so they gave her a month between races, and the win will set her up nicely to go a bit further up in grade. We bought her as a replacement for Melody Belle, after we sold her on the Gold Coast, and many from that syndicate are in Angels Wings. I don’t think she’ll ever reach the heights of Melody Belle, but she’s a good, honest race mare in her own right.”

Angel’s Wings – 3rd Career Win Riccarton 27th January 2024

Notably, when winning last May, Angels Wings provided the first win for her sire, Heroic Valour (Fastnet Rock), in New Zealand, whom David Ellis purchased as a yearling at Karaka, and known for his consistency at top level he was rewarded with victory in the Diamond Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) at Ellerslie.

Te Akau Principal David Ellis was particularly pleased with the result “It’s a fantastic result for John Galvin and his owners, especially on a day when he has one of the favourites (Bellatrix Star) in the Karaka Millions 2YO, so we wish them all the best. What a great achievement by Mark (Walker) and Sam (Bergerson) to reach 100 wins in such quick time again this season and it’s hugely rewarding for everyone involved: staff, owners, and for Karyn and me too,” he said. “It’s especially thrilling for Sam. He’s such a great young man that is putting his heart and soul into training. He’s a terrific leader, has a great affinity with the staff, a talented person in every respect, and a credit to his family who has such a strong background in racing. It’s also a special milestone for our racing manager Reece Trumper, Hunter Durrant, who runs our stable at Riccarton, and Nicole Shailer, our assistant trainer at Matamata. Everyone that works for Te Akau gives 110% and without that type of commitment you just can’t get these sorts of results”

Angel Wings was purchased by David Ellis and Andrew Williams Bloodstock for A$100,000 on behalf of Fortuna Racing, from the draft of KBL Thoroughbreds, at the 2021 Gold Coast National Yearling Sale. She was purchased just a few days after the Fortuna Racing dual Horse of The Year and now Thoroughbred Hall of Famer, Melody Belle, was sold for A$2.6m and many of the Melody Belle owners are also owners in Angels Wings

Angels Wings is owned by Fortuna Angels Wings Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin), an ownership group comprising 41 individuals

Angels Wings was strapped by Naomi Warrander

Fortuna Racing has been around a long time as one of New Zealand’s premier boutique syndicators, since 2007 in fact and over the years has fashioned an enviable record, most notably with the remarkable performances of dual Horse of the Year and 14 time Group One winner, Melody Belle, the Group One 2000 Guineas winner, Tell A Tale and Wellington Cup winner, Leaderboard and has delivered over 250 winning performances for its many, many clients over the years, in New Zealand, Australia and Singapore. This Saturday, Fortuna Racing returns, after a seven year absence, to the Karaka Million 2yo stage with a runner, Bellatrix Star (Star Witness- Alana’s Party), in the 2024 edition of this headline catching race.

Fortuna Racing’s John Galvin, picks up the story “Undoubtedly the 2017 running of the Karaka Million 2yo event is one of those indelible memories, as not only was it won in spectacular fashion by Melody Belle, but it launched an ongoing glittering career by that wonderful racemare, who raced for five full seasons, collecting 14 Group Ones along the way and was twice crowned NZ Horse Of The Year. Every year since 2017, we have endavoured to buy one or two Karaka Million types at the NZ Bloodstock Yearling Sale, however it is an extremely hard race to get to with a 2yo, everything has to go right during their early 2yo season preparation and since Melody Belle’s great win, we just have not been able, until this year, to have everything go in our favour. However, after that seven year hiatus, we have produced a lovely 2yo type in Bellatrix Star, who has been beautifully handled by her Trainers, Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, has definitely done everything right in her 2yo preparation and is a real live winning chance in the 2024 running of this spectacular race.”

BELLATRIX STAR (Star Witness – Alana’s Party) as a Yearling 

Love Racing reports as follows:

Favoured fillies Velocious (Written Tycoon) and Bellatrix Star (Star Witness) have strengthened their status as headline acts for Saturday’s $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) after drawing neighbouring midfield gates for the 17th running of the lucrative juvenile feature.

In a spectacular barrier draw beamed on to Auckland’s Sky Tower on Wednesday night, Velocious landed gate seven and Bellatrix Star gate six. With the emergency Damask Rose (NZ) (Savabeel) drawing the inside barrier, the favoured pair will both move in by one gate if there are no scratchings.

Velocious is trained by Stephen Marsh for syndicators Go Racing. The same combination teamed up to win this race in 2013 with Ruud Awakening (Bernardini). Go Racing paid $190,000 to buy Velocious from the draft of breeders Inglewood Stud at Karaka 2023, and she has had three starts for two stylish wins, a Group Two placing and $106,500 in stakes.

Bellatrix Star was offered by Phoenix Park at Karaka 2023, where she was bought for $80,000 by Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis in partnership with Fortuna Racing. Ellis and Fortuna joined forces to win this race with the great Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) in 2017. That started an extraordinary streak of Karaka Millions-winning two-year-olds bought by Ellis at Karaka, which now stands at seven in succession – Melody Belle, Avantage (Fastnet Rock), Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel), Cool Aza Beel (NZ) (Savabeel), On The Bubbles (Brazen Beau), Dynastic (NZ) (Almanzor) and Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) (Satono Aladdin).

Bellatrix Star has strong credentials to join that honour roll, recording two wins and two placings from four starts to date including an impressive last-start success in the Group Two Eclipse Stakes (1200m).

BELLATRIX STAR – Winning the Group 2 Eclipse Stakes – Pukekohe Park – 1 Jan 2024 – Warren Kennedy aboard

Fortuna is renowned for producing very large syndicates, but remarkably the Bellatrix Star Syndicate has 69 individual Members in its ownership  Group. John Galvin picks up the story “Yes, it is not unusual for us to have large numbers of Owners, this due no doubt to the fact that we offer shares in our syndicates down to 1%, and typically we have around 40 or 50 individuals in each of our syndicates. The Melody Belle syndicate was a bit smaller, with just 34 Members, but with Bellatrix Star, the ownership Group is widely spread with the biggest shareholders having just 7.5% and  with a number of brand new Fortuna clients coming aboard – Jessica (Galvin) and I often get asked how we are able to manage such large ownership groups, but we just love having so many individuals involved in each of our syndicates and we have robust systems in place to manage the administration and communication tasks.

“Remarkably at Ellerslie this Saturday, we will be hosting 120  people in Ellerslie’s Tote On Ascot facility, a group made up of  63 of the 69 Syndicate Members plus their Guests and win, lose or draw, the mere fact of having a runner in this great race is a great thrill for all of our Syndicate Members – it is not often that everyday, ordinary New Zealanders can get to have a runner in a One Million Dollar Race on one of the great days of New Zealand Racing.”

Bellatrix Star will be ridden by New Zealand’s leading jockey, Warren Kennedy

Previous course winner Inca Belle (4 m Per Incanto – Belle Vie, by Darci Brahma) was back to her best winning the $40,000 Rating 65 1400 metres on 12 January at Tauranga. After finishing well for close fifth in the Rating 65 1400 metres on 22 December at Matamata, Inca Belle had shown a liking for the course at her only previous start there in March 2023, when capping a hat-trick of wins at just the third start and returned to that sort of form  at this latest outing.

Ridden by Te Akau Racing’s apprentice Niranjan Parmar, Inca Belle settled between runners beyond midfield, six lengths back at the 600m, and angled clear on straightening she quickened very well to claim stable-mate Alminette (Burgundy), who travelled three wide near the pace throughout for jockey Opie Bosson. On footing upgraded to Good4, in the race sponsored by Ray White Greerton, Inca Belle ran 1400 metres in 1:25.1 and paid $7.00 & $2.50 on the NZ TAB tote.

Click HERE to see the race replay

“She was really well ridden by Parmar and good to see her win like that,” said co-trainer Mark Walker. “She goes back up in grade now, but the way she won today suggests she can go on with it. She showed a lot of promise as a three-year-old, just hit a bit of a flat spot but she’s come back to form now and is another horse that Dave (Ellis) and John (Galvin) bought really cheaply at the Ready to Run Sale.”

  INCA BELLE –  makes it four career wins Tauranga 12th January 2024 – Niranjan Parmar aboard

Fortuna Director, John Galvin, was not on track on the day as he had been attending the Magic Millions Gold Coast sale during the week and was on a flight coming home to New Zealand when the race was run – “It was just great to land at Auckland airport and see my phone light up with messages from several parties, indicating that we had run the race. From the draw (7) we gave Parmar the instructions to see where she was comfortable and I thought he handled the task pretty well,” he said.  “She was never under any pressure in the run, was able to travel nicely and on turning for home you could sense she was working her way into it. She loomed from the 300m and always looked like she was going to be in the finish. She only won by a narrow margin (short neck), but was pretty soft at the line and won with authority. She was very competitive last start at Matamata, finishing fifth in a blanket finish, so she was ready to win today I thought. She’ll be in Rating 75 grade now and that is always a hard grade to win, but I think she is ready to take the step. She was a reasonably priced Ready to Run purchase by David and I, with a lovely pedigree, and she’s developed into a very handy race mare and future breeding proposition.”

John has just returned from the 2024 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he and David Ellis purchased Lot 437: bay filly Spirit of Boom – Aotearower (Shamardal) for $100,000 from the draft of Cambridge Stud.

“We’ve just put our new Magic Millions purchase on the Fortuna website and we’ve already had expressions of interest for 30 percent after just a few hours,” Galvin said  “With Mark’s (Walker) involvement, we were able to get her for budget which is very pleasing. Spirit of Boom has been Champion Sire in Queensland four times and currently in the top 10 on the Australian General Sires’ List for winners and wins. He also has a very good stakes-winners-to-runners ratio as well. It’s also a great dam line, with Aotearower and grand-dam Kaatoon (Kaapstad) both impressive winners, and she’s a beautiful moving filly. David (Ellis) really took the sale by the scruff of the neck with some outstanding purchases and it’s very exciting for everyone involved, especially having the new Te Akau stables in place at Cranbourne  in Victoria.”

Te Akau Apprentice NIRANJAN PARMAR returns to scale on INCA BELLE

Bred by R A Williams, Inca Belle was purchased by David Ellis CNZM and John Galvin for $50,000 at the 2021 NZB Ready To Run Sale, from the draft of Phoenix Park, and is owned by Fortuna Inca Belle Syndicate, an Ownership Group consisting of 49 individuals from New Zealand, Australia and Hong Kong and has now fashioned a race record of 4 wins and 1 2nd from 14 raceday starts amd has accumulated prizemoner earnings of $76,000

Inca Belle was strapped by Cooper Stumbles

TRIDENT is back!!! – the 5yo Gelding by Deep Field out of Miss Fi, resuming after 6 months away from the racetrack while undergoing rehabilitation from an injury, showed his ability once again when powering to a strong win in the Class 4 1200m Polytrack event at Singapore’s Kranji racetrack 6th January. Ridden by the up and coming Te Akau Racing Stable Apprentice, Sarwi Jamil, Trident made good use of his nice barrier draw, tracking along in behind the leaders who were setting a solid pace. Full of running as they turned for home, it looked like Trident might run into traffic problems, but Jamil was patient, allowing a runner to go past him on the outside, before switching off heels, getting his mount balanced and then mounting a powerful finishing run from the 300m mark, gathering in the leaders and going to the line with a half length margin in a time of 1.11.26 and paying $6.50 to win on the NZ TAB

Click HERE to see the race replay

Trainer, Donna Logan, was  very happy after the race “It’s just great when a quality horse like Trident can produce a quality run like that, aided by a high quality ride by young Jamil, who has really hit his straps as a rider these past few months. Well done to John Galvin and his Fortuna Racing Team – they have a lovely horse on their hands with this one”

 Trident – 4th Singapore win 7th January 2024

Fortuna Director, John Galvin, who  was watching the race from his Hamilton home  was very content with the victory ” Trident has been away from the track for quite a while, but had trialed well leading into this race and so there was a degree of confidence that he could run well, but in the end he ran just super. Congrats to Donna and all of the training team for the patient way they have handled Trident’s rehab and preparation for this race ”

Sarwi Jamil, all smiles,  returns to scale aboard TRIDENT

TRIDENT, bred by Mrs H G & W G Bax & JML Bloodstock Ltd, was offered for sale at the 2020 Karaka Book One Sale by Blandford Lodge and was acquired by Davis Ellis on behalf of Fortuna Racing for $70,000 – initially prepared in NZ by Jamie Richards, and with the racename POLARIS, he had three starts in the Spring of 2021 for a 3rd and two 4ths – believing that he would be a 3yo who would benefit from a bit more maturity and development, Jamie recommended that his Ownership Group should consider relocating him to Singapore for his future racing career, a recommendation that was taken up by the majority of his ownership group. Trident has now had fourteen Singapore starts for four wins, three 2nds and has earned over S$185,000 for his ownership group consisting of 49 individuals from NZ, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong

Fortuna Racing filly Bellatrix Star (2 f Star Witness – Alana’s Party, by Exceed and Excel) thrust herself forward as genuine Karaka Million contender when winning  an exciting rendition of the $225,000 Eclipse Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) on 1 January at Pukekohe.

A worthy favourite when winning the first two-year-old race of the season at Wanganui, Bellatrix Star had finished third to race rival Velocious (Written Tycoon) when resuming in the 2yo 1000 metres on 11 November at Te Rapa, and second to her again in the Counties Challenge Stakes (Listed, 1100m) on 25 November at Pukekohe. Despite money coming for impressive debut winning stable-mate Move To Strike (I Am Invincible), Bellatrix Star rated a top three chance and fought out the finish with the two aforementioned. Content to settle last for leading jockey Warren Kennedy, on the bridle when six lengths astern at the 600m and still at the rear of the field on turning for home, Bellatrix Star picked up nicely to angle clear at the 300m, quickened to level 150m out, and sustained her run to the outside of Move To Strike (second) and Velocious (third).

Click HERE to see the race replay

“She settled beautifully in the run, quickened smartly, picked up the other two really quickly, and she’s a better filly held up for longer and to pounce late,” rider Warren Kennedy said.

Bellatrix Star ran 1200 metres in 1:11.0, last 600m in 33.8 (approx.), and paid $10.70 & $1.50 on the NZ TAB tote.

BELLATRIX STAR – Winning the Group 2 Eclipse Stakes – Pukekohe Park – Warren Kennedy aboard

“Warren (Kennedy) got her to relax really nicely,” said co-trainer Mark Walker. “She didn’t have all favours last start and showed today that by riding her further back, and off the speed, that she had a really good turn of foot. She’s peaking at the right time for the Karaka Millions, and that’s always been her target.”

Searching for their eighth consecutive victory, Te Akau Racing currently has six in the field of 14 for the $1m Karaka Millions 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m) on Saturday 27 January at Ellerslie.

Owned by Fortuna Bellatrix Star Syndicate, she was purchased for $80,000 by David Ellis CNZM and Fortuna Racing’s John Galvin in January at the Karaka 2023 Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Phoenix Park, and now won two of four starts and $167,700 prize money.

Accepting the Winners Trophy in front of a large crew of widly excited Syndicate Members, John Galvin said, “It’s a great thrill for everyone in the syndicate to win this race. Thank you to Mark (Walker) and Sam (Bergerson) for their training efforts. Mark and David (Ellis) picked this filly out for us at the Karaka sale after I had tasked them with finding me the type of  Filly that could be a genuine contender for the 2024 Karaka Million. This is the first Group winning two-year-old we’ have had since Melody Belle. We only paid $80,000 for her, she won on debut, hasn’t been disgraced in her last two starts, and to win a Group Two at her fourth race day start is extremely valuable for her future. It was a lovely ride by Warren (Kennedy), very important black type for the filly and whatever she does from here on in, they can never take this victory away.”

“Also, I’d like to congratulate Auckland Thoroughbred Racing for their initiatives and the way they’ve managed the race day process over the last eighteen months with Ellerslie undergoing reconstruction and we look forward to getting back to racing this month at Ellerslie.

The Sire of Bellatrix Star, Star Witness  (Starcraft) was a dominant winner of the Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) 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, winning 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 include over 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).

“The Eclipse Stakes is a very valuable race for a filly to win and congratulations to everyone in the Fortuna syndicate,” Te Akau Supremo David Ellis said. “John Galvin has been a great supporter of Te Akau Racing for more than 20 years, he has introduced so many new people into Racing Ownership through his Syndication model and it is a pleasure for me to be able to select a filly of this class for Fortuna Racing. It’s a rarity to find a Filly for sale out of mares by the Champion Sire Exceed and Excel because breeders tend to keep them. Bellatrix Star has a lot of Exceed and Excel about her and from a dam line that has proved itself at the top level, and now she’s joined them.”

Bellatrix Star is raced by the Fortuna Bellatrix Star Syndicate, an ownership Group comprising 69 individuals from all parts of New Zealand and one from Australia with 13 of them being first time investors in a Fortuna Syndicate

Bellatrix Star was strapped by Kendyll Lee.