Capping a day of terrific racing at Te Rapa, the Fortuna galloper Malborough Bay (4 g Darci Brahma – Spin ‘N Grin, by Spinning World) won the $35,000 Maneline Rating 65 1400 metres on Saturday. After producing a good effort for second in the Rating 65 1400 metres on 27 March at Matamata, Malborough Bay struck conditions beyond him when footing downgraded to Heavy10 in Rating 65 1400 metres on 13 April at Otaki, but bounced back at Te Rapa under a positive ride by Craig Grylls. Beginning well from barrier three to lead at a solid clip, Malborough Bay was joined to his inside by Don Pauly (Satono Aladdin) at the 400m and the pair set down to a home straight battle that saw them separated by only a nose at the finish with Malborough Bay prevailing.

On footing that remained Soft6 throughout the programme, and perfect for what Malborough Bay has shown to prefer, he ran 1400 metres in 1:25.4, last 600m in 35.5 (approx.), and paid handsomely ($16.60 & $4.90) on the NZ TAB tote.

Click HERE to see the race replay

“It was a lovely ride by Craig Grylls and a terrific effort by Malborough Bay to hold the other horse off in a close finish,” said Mark Walker, who trains him with Sam Bergerson, Mark watching the race from Morphetville in South Australia where he was overseeing a small team of Te Akau trained runners. “We love it when the big hurdles are back up at Matamata and he schooled well over them during the week which could go some way to turning his form around today. He will now look to head back to Te Rapa in three weeks time. And well done to John Galvin and his Fortuna ownership Group – they have had a wonderful run of success over the past couple of weeks”

MALBOROUGH BAY – 3rd career win – Te Rapa 27th April 2024 – Craig Grylls aboard

From a family that Te Akau and Fortuna have a great affinity with, Malborough Bay won on debut as a two-year-old, placed in the War Decree Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m) at three, and continues to race well after winning earlier this season at Matamata. Bred by Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM and Glenn & Cathie Holmes, Malborough Bay is owned by a Fortuna Racing  Syndicate, with the Fortuna Team on a roll of four wins in the past fortnight.

Sponsor Rohan Kamo from the race sponsors Maneline said: “Congratulations John (Galvin) to you and the owners of Malborough Bay. It’s lovely that we can sponsor and support the racing industry, because without it we don’t function. We supply horse shoes and farrier tools and it’s nice to get all the horses around to the start feeling sound and happy.”

In reply, on behalf of the owners, John Galvin said: “Shane Thompson, who shares in the ownership of Malborough Bay reminded me that the finish was very similar to the win by Melody Belle over Julius in the Foxbridge Plate here in 2018, where, like today, we had to wait for the Judge’s call. Malborough Bay can a bit hard to catch, but that is now his 3rd third career win and I think the winning of the race was at the start when Craig (Grylls) got him out first and as we know Craig is a lovely strong rider. We have a  big group of owners in  this horse and a few were on course today including Ian Upson who has had over 150 wins with Fortuna over the past 12 or 13 years, including 19 with Melody Belle, Shane Thomsen and his Mum, Marlene, who were also in Melody Belle,  Ollie & Hazel Lawrence have been in quite a few successful horses with us and Phil Graham who has had two wins with us in six days, Ragamuffin being the other one. He’s a well loved horse and will be back to Rating 75 now, so that will be a further challenge for him. Well done to Mark and Sam with how they have handled Malborough Bay since his last start – the bit of schooling over the hurdles they gave him made him very resolute today”

“Mark Walker trained the dam, Spin ‘n Grin, and she was very good,” said Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM, who bought her for $65,000 at the 2003 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, and since purchased and bred progeny from the mare. “Spin ‘n Grin won 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 she was an unlucky second at her seventh start, in the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m). Karyn (Fenton-Ellis MNZM) and Glenn & Cathie Holmes bred Malborough Bay and he’s another good winner for Fortuna Racing and their owners.”

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 from his Breeders Karyn Fenton-Ellis and Glenn/Cathie Holmes in a private sale in 2021

Malborough Bay was strapped by Kohen Collett.