Friday Flash 18th March
Headline News;
BRUTUS wins again in Singapore – giving Fortuna Racing its 12th victory in 2022 – read more below
MOHAWK BRAVE chases Group One honours in the Levin Classic at Trentham on Saturday – more below
Fortuna has four runners this Saturday, two in NZ and two in Singapore
New Zealand
Leaderboard races in the time honoured NZ St Leger – Race 3 @ 2.19pm – Ryan Elliot to ride. Battling runs of late over shorter trips – up to 2600m here will help – needs a shower or two to be at his best and if that arrives, he is a chance in this
MOHAWK BRAVE contests the Group One Levin Classic 1600m – Race 6 @ 3.33 with Craig Grylls in the saddle – has shown great form since winning on debut in late October, winning 3 of his 4 races. Draws nicely here in 3, but meets a hot, in form field with On The Bubbles, Imperatriz and Shamus as worthy contestants. Will get a soft run from the draw – definite place chance and a win would not surprise
Singapore
COSMIC SANDS races in the Class 4 1600 Race 3 @ 6pm NZT. Jerlyn Seow claiming 3kgs takes the mount – this two time winner in Australia has been very disappointing in his 4 Singapore starts to date – a one paced staying type, he gets 1600m here for the first time, blinkers are on and carries a featherweight. Race tactics are to try and lead with an expectation that the trip, the blinkers and light weight will all add to his chances.Hard to have on form
ENTERTAINER is in the Class 1 1200m Turf but is Ballot 1 and is unlikely to get a start. He has won 7 times at 1100m Polytrack, but did disappoint last start when well beaten. If he does get a start, he meets a very strong field at 1200m on Turf, a task that may be beyond him – no rider fixed
Fortuna Track work – Matamata
Tuesday 15th March
Mohawk Brave (N Parmar) worked in company over 1000 metres in 1.04.2, home in 37.1
Thursday 17th March
No timed Fortuna Trackwork today
Fortuna Track work – Singapore
Saturday 12th March
Entertainer (Harry) – C, 1000/600 37.5; Kermajack (Jerlyn)– C, 600 42.5;
Other News
BRUTUS makes it 5 Career wins in Singapore with a stylish all the way victory
5yo Gelding BRUTUS (Rubick – Harvest Queen), who is enjoying a purple patch of form, was too strong for his rivals in the Class 4 1200m Turf event at Singapore’s Kranji Racetrack Sunday 13th March. Given the slightly awkward draw of Barrier 9 in a field of 12 runners, the former Singapore Champion Jockey and current Premiership Leader, Manoel Nunes, took any risk out of the equation by getting Brutus away well and going straight to the lead. Cleverly giving the horse a breather mid race, Nunes then asked him for an effort after turning, established a break on the opposition and while the closers were gaining ground, Brutus went to the line half a length clear in the time of 1.10.25 for the 1200m trip. This was Brutus 5th win in Singapore and, remarkably, his 4th from just his last seven starts. Brutus win brought up the 6th win in 2022 to date for the Fortuna NZ Stable and Te Akau Racing Trainer Donna Logan’s 9th for 2022 to date
Click HERE to see the race replay
Trainer, Donna Logan, was a happy gal post race “That was poetry in motion – Brutus is at the top of his game, running in great form and he was beautifully ridden by Nunes. I am over the moon for John Galvin and his Fortuna Ownership team, they had a couple of unlucky 2nds earlier in the programme, so it was great to see them get this win”
BRUTUS – 5th Win in Singapore 13th March 2022
Fortuna Director, John Galvin, watching from his home in New Zealand, was also elated “That was very sweet to watch – I was confident that if Manny could get Brutus away well, he would be very competitive and so it proved – a lovely well judged ride certainly helped – well done to Donna and her team also – they have been under the pump of late with significant staff shortages due to Covid, so to get two winners on the day is an exceptional result”
Trainer Donna Logan and jockey, Manoel Nunes, post race
Brutus (Rubick-Harvest Queen) was acquired by John Galvin at the May 2019 Inglis Digital Sale for A$45,000 from his former owners, The China Horse Club – he has now won five times and had 10 other 2nds or 3rds from his 25 race day starts and has accumulated S248,000 in Stakes for his 46 member strong ownership group, the Fortuna Brutus Syndicate, an Ownership Group with Members from New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and the UK
MOHAWK BRAVE chases Group One honours in the Levin Classic at Trentham on Saturday
It has been 53 weeks since a Fortuna Syndicated horse won a Group One event – and what a win that was with MELODY BELLE winning the NZ Bonecrusher Stakes at Ellerslie, her 14th Group One win .
This Saturday at Trentham, the Fortuna 3yo Gelding MOHAWK BRAVE contests the Levin Classic over 1600m, his first attempt at this level at just his 5th race day start, from which he has won 3 and was a fast finishing 6th off a wide draw at Ellerslie in the Group 3 Almanzor Stakes. Needless to say, it is a big thrill for his large group of Owners (45 in all) – for many of them this is their first Group One attempt. As you would expect, it is very strong field of 3yo’s so the task is daunting, but stable expectations are that he will run very well.
Fortuna Shares for Sale
We have shares in four horses currently on our website – the proven two win Irish bred staying type MILESTONE, whom we have acquired to specifically contest the 2 Mile Cups races in the coming season, the Yearling Merchant Navy Filly “ZOI” whom we acquired at the Inglis Premier Sale in Melbourne and the two Karaka Yearlings, the Merchant Navy Colt “Salty” and the Reliable Man Filly “Connie”
All of these offerings can be viewed on the Fortuna website HERE
I was having a conversation with Mark Walker a couple of days ago – Mark of course has been deeply involved in the selection of all of these four horses and he was congratulating me on the quality of our purchases – I decided to put him on the spot and asked him to select a “favourite” – after a bit of head scratching, he said “John, all of the four are going to be great attributes to the Stable and I am looking forward to training all of them, but I do have to say that I am particularly taken with the athleticism and physicality of the Merchant Navy Filly (ZOI) – she just walked so well and has a great physique.”
See all details about “ZOI” HERE
“ZOI” – The Merchant Navy – Pindara Yearling Filly