Fortuna 3yo Filly, Rhapsody in Blue(3 f Medaglia d’Oro – Kablues, by Danske) followed good recent form with victory at her third start in the $10,000 Jump Jockey’s Send It Maiden 3YO 1300 metres on Friday at Taupo.

At her solitary two-year-old start, Rhapsody in Blue ran a courageous second on Heavy11 in June at Trentham, and fought solidly for fourth when resuming on Heavy10 in the Maiden 3YO 1100 metres on 28 August at Matamata. But, the advent of better footing aided her cause and she displayed good attributes to win well.

“We weren’t too sure what to expect today, given it was a Good3 track, as her two previous runs had been on heavier tracks,” said Fortuna Syndicate manager John Galvin. “She did disappoint us a little bit last time, but that was probably just the heavy track, so today she got a good surface and she’s shown what she’s capable of.

“We really like this horse. She’s got a lovely pedigree, shown us a lot and we’ll see how she pulls up and make a plan from there – she does hold a nomination for the Group One 1000 Guineas at Riccarton in November.”

Rhapsody In Blue – Victorious at Taupo 20th September 2019 (Image courtesy of Race Images)

From seventh in running, Rhapsody in Blue was sent forward by rider Michael McNab to challenge around the home bend and exhibited a good turn of foot to put the race into safe keeping.

Click HERE to see the race result and Video replay

“That’s what I expected from her the other day, but the heavy track was against her and a lot of the Te Akau horses that ran that day didn’t like it,” McNab said. “And, they’ve since come out on better tracks and run really well. She’s a lovely filly and should have plenty more wins in her.”

Te Akau principal David Ellis purchased Rhapsody in Blue as a yearling at the 2018 Karaka Book 1 Sale on behalf of Fortuna, paying $95,000 from the draft of Valachi Downs. Her sire, Medaglia d’Oro has sired more than 20 individual Group One winners, including Crown Prosecutor, the winner of the 2019 NZ Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m), and she possesses a  terrific family on the dam side – a family which includes Champion 3YO Filly in Australia Shamrocker (O’Reilly), winner of the Australian Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m) and VRC Australian Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m).

“Let’s hope it’s the start of a really good weekend for Fortuna, with Melody Belle racing tomorrow in the Group One Windsor Park Plate,” said David Ellis. “Their horses are absolutely on fire and full credit to John Galvin and his owners. He does an outstanding job running these syndicates and it’s a pleasure and a privilege to be a part of it all.”

Trainer Jamie Richards said: “It was good to see her operate on top of the ground, especially after finding the going a bit testing last time, but Michael said she didn’t handle it. She never showed a lot when we broke her in, but started to shape up in the autumn and with a nice pedigree page we’d love to see her earn some black type, and that will mean she will have quite a bit of value as a broodmare proposition if we can get the job done.”

Present on course and sharing in the ownership of Rhapsody in Blue, Ian Upson was celebrating a remarkable 70^th win with Fortuna, while another part-owner, Joan Jolley, was a Member of the Fortuna  2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner Tell A Tale (Tale of the Cat) in 2008, trained for Fortuna by Mark Walker.

Rhapsody in Blue is raced by the Fortuna Rhapsody In Blue Syndicate, an ownership Group consisting of 46 individuals.

The Filly was was strapped by Shay Carter.