Fortuna has no runners in NZ this weekend and there is no racing in Singapore this Saturday, given that they held a Chinese New Year meeting on Wednesday of this week

However, Soprano Supreme and Dancarina will travel to the Ruakaka meeting next Wednesday 9^th – this meeting has been transferred from Matamata to allow its track to recover after a lot of recent racing.

And Leaderboard, who had to be scratched from the Wellington Cup, due to a foot abscess, is fully recovered and will race at Awapuni Friday 11^th in the Open 2000m event

Fortuna Track work – Matamata

Tuesday ^1st  Feb

Soprano Supreme (J Kamaruddin) galloped at three-quarter pace over 1200 metres in 1.16, home in 46.
Dancarina (A Gujar) galloped at three-quarter pace over 1000 metres in 1.15.2, home 45.6.

Thursday 3^rd  Feb

Ragamuffin (R Khan) worked at three quarter pace over 800 metres in 1.00.4, home in 45.2.

Dancarina (A Gujar) and Soprano Supreme (J Kamaruddin) galloped over 1000 metres in 1.05.9, home in 36.6.

Fortuna Track work – Singapore

Saturday 29th Jan

Olympia (Aslam) – 800 37.5; Briggs (Jamil) – 800 45;

Tuesday 1^st Feb

Hadeer (Shafiq) – C, 1000/600 38; King Arthur (CC Wong) – 1000/600 37.5; Hidden Promise (Yusoff) – C, 1000/600 38;

Other News

Fortuna Shares for Sale

From the NZ Bloodstock November Ready to Run Sale

2yo Gelding by Darci Brahma out of the winning Iffraaj Mare,  Ujjayyi – this strapping 2yo is in work and will have his first trial early March – still a few shares left at $1100 per each 1% and $40 per month from 1 April

Shares can be ordered online from the Fortuna website HERE

Contact John by email john@fortuna-nz.com if you require further information or call/text 021 921 460

Secondary Market Opportunity – Polaris – the 3yo Gelding by Deep Field out of Miss Fi (by Makfi)

Polaris was acquired by David Ellis for Fortuna at the 2020 Karaka Sale – prepared in NZ by Jamie Richard, he was not ready to race as a 2yo, but had three very good placings in NZ as a 3yo, during the late spring/early summer. Following this, Jamie’s recommendation was that he would be ideal for Singapore as he had missed his 3yo age group opportunities and was not a “Derby” type. Also, in being a Maiden with less than 4 starts, he is eligible for the Restricted Maiden Grade in Singapore, a grade which carries S$75k as prizemoney. Polaris passed his in depth Singapore Turf Club Vet test with flying colours and flew to Singapore 20^th Jan, – he exits quarantine 5^th Feb and, all going well, he will make his Singapore debut in April in Restricted Maiden Grade for S$75k. The great majority of the Ownership Group were fully supportive of this move, but some Members have decided not to proceed and so a small percentage of the shares have become available. We had Polaris independently valued recently by Registered Bloodstock Valuer, Marcus Corban, who assessed his value  for the purpose of this share transfer at $50,000. Landed in Singapore with all transport and quarantine fees included, Insurance paid to 31 Jan 2023 and working capital account replenished, the all up cost of each 1% share is $720 for each 1% share and $36 per month from 1 March 2022. There are no Promoter Fees in this transaction

John comments “As readers would be aware, Fortuna has had significant success these past 3 years or so in acquiring “tried” horses for Singapore racing – effectively we have had no failures and many, many successes. Polaris with his trial and raceday form, fits squarely into this “tried horse” category and there is every reason to believe he can be very successful in Singapore – interestly, he has a very similar profile to Ronald’s Dream, who had 3 starts for 3 placings in NZ before going to Singapore and winning a Restricted Maiden on debut”

To participate contact John by email john@fortuna-nz.com or call/text 021 921 460

Another Fortuna Winner in Singapore

ENTERTAINER scores outstanding victory in Feature Race in Singapore

ENTERTAINER  (5yo Gelding by Zoustar out of Laughing) produced a scintillating display in winning the Class 2 1100m Polytrack event at Singapore’s Kranji racetrack 29th January. Ridden for the first time by the highly experienced Harry Kasim, ENTERTAINER (Stable name “Joker”) had a bit to prove. Although lodging six wins from seven starts at this trip and surface in 2021, a resuming run in Class 3 grade 8th January had seen him fade in the closing stages to finish 7th. Up to Class 2 for this race and facing much stronger competition, punters were happy to support more favoured chances and sent ENTERTAINER out at odds of 12 to 1. No one told the horse this of course and away well from the gates, he settled outside the girth of stable mate, Makkam Lad, while two other favoured runners, Celavi and Arrarat Lady were back in the field. Traveling sweetly in the run, Kasim had the horse relaxed and well held together – asked for more effort at about the 250m mark, ENTERTAINER drew away and went to the line a length clear of the fast finishing Lady Arrarat in a time of 1.04.39.

Click HERE to see the race replay

“Joker’s” win bought up three successive wins for Harry Kasim over the day – the popular rider who is well known in New Zealand, having had a riding stint there a few years ago, had endured a frustrating start to the new season with no winners up until yesterday so to score three in a row was a big thrill – “I had really enjoyed getting my first two winners” said Kasim post race, “but then I got onto Entertainer, my last ride and, cantering to the barriers, all of a sudden it felt so natural he would win too. He’s a nice horse and he jumped better than we thought, and we were able to get a good position. I was happy to just let him travel for me. At the top of the straight, I was confident I could get my third win. He showed a good turn of foot and I knew he would win at the 200m.”

Entertainer makes it 7 wins in Singapore – 29th January 2022

Trainer Donna Logan, who only took over the Head Trainer’s role for Te Akau Racing, replacing the departing  four time Singapore Champion Trainer, Mark Walker, was extremely proud of her charge “That was brilliant to watch – to be honest, I didn’t think he could win today, given the quality of the opposition, but Joker was just too big, too strong and had the last laugh  in the end. Super ride by Harry, but he had a big motor under him. Congrats to John Galvin and his big crew of Owners – the Fortuna Stable here in Singapore is absolutely flying”

Fortuna Boss, John Galvin, watching from his home in New Zealand, was over the moon with the outcome “I was up and out of my chair as they turned for home – Harry had him going so well and I just knew he would be hard to get past with him only carrying 50kgs. I had discounted his previous start as he had had a good blow after that race and I knew he would take a lot of improvement. He was racing out of his grade in Class 2 but his last win 30th October had been in that grade also, so I was quietly confident that he had a good chance of a repeat. Well done to Harry and I am rapt for Donna Logan – she has big shoes to fill in taking over the Te Akau operation from Mark Walker, but with five wins to date in the new season, she is off to a bright start”

Entertainer’s win made it 4 wins from 13 starts for the Fortuna NZ Racing Stable in Singapore in the 2022 season along with a 2nd, two 3rds and 3 4ths

Entertainer was acquired by Mark Walker on behalf of Fortuna at the Inglis Digital sale in December 2019 for A$20,000 – he has now won seven races from fifteen starts in Singapore and accumulated S$237,000 in prizemoney, a great return on investment for his ownership group

Entertainer is raced by the Fortuna Entertainer Syndicate, an ownership group consisting of 51 individuals from NZ, Australia and Singapore

Covid News

The latest news, of course is Thursday’s dramatic announcement from the government giving details of a staged opening of the New Zealand borders from the 27^th of February with, initially, New Zealand citizens and residents being able to return without having to book an MIQ spot but isolating at home for 10 days. This is great news of course for so many New Zealand families who can be reunited at last. From a Te Akau/Fortuna point of view, Mark Walker, who has been twiddling his thumbs in Singapore itching to get on a plane to come back to New Zealand, now has a pathway to do so – obviously the sooner he can get back the better, so that the transition/handover of the NZ Head Training role from Jamie to Mark can run smoothly.

In other Covid News the very prestigious John Hopkins University has conducted a study on the effects of lockdowns in the USA and Europe and concluded that they had a “negligible impact” on death rates of just 0.2% – they went further to say that lockdowns may have contributed to a faster spread of the Virus due to people being forced to stay in their homes instead of being out and about in parks, beaches etc. Meanwhile, here in the “Hermit Kingdom” the iconic Castlepoint Beach point to point race meeting has been cancelled this year due to “Covid Risk” !!!!

Murray Baker announces retirement

Yes, it’s true, the iconic Cambridge based Trainer is hanging up his binoculars – a more humble gentleman you would never meet – Read a tribute story HERE