Fortuna Racings quality race mare SOPRANO SUPREME was on song again at Rotorua 9th April when putting in another dominant performance in taking out the Campbell Infrastructure Rating 74 2200m event. The winner of two of her previous three starts by a combined margin of over eight lengths, this time she was up in Grade, in Saturday Class and was without the benefit of an Apprentice rider’s claim. Away slightly awkwardly in the hands of Opie Bosson, she relaxed nicely in 5th position one out from the rail in the eight horse field. Continuing to travel nicely in the run, Opie was content to sit quiet, but at the 600m mark, he asked the Mare for an effort, she came into the race quickly, was on terms three wide with the leaders as they turned  for home and then sprinted to the line strongly, under a mainly hands and heels ride, to win with a two and a half length margin at the line in a time of 2.16.18 with Rising Storm in 2nd place

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Winning rider Opie Bosson was effusive in his praise after dismounting “She was going to win a long way out,” he said. “She relaxed beautifully, got into a nice position and I was quite confident from the winning post the first time around. I had the horse underneath me, gave her one backhander, and she’ll be a nice staying mare next year.”

“Soprano Supreme” – Win #3 Rotorua 9th April 2022 – Opie Bosson aboard

Trainer Mark Walker, was also quick to give praise “That was a really good win and she’s a progressive mare,” he said, “that was a big step up for her today, but she handled it with a lot of authority. David (Ellis) bought her quite cheaply at Karaka, she is out of a Zabeel mare, and she looks a cups quality mare next season with a bit more maturity on her. A race like the Waikato Cup (Gr. 2, 2400m) could be a good target, but in the meantime we may have a look at the Rotorua Cup on 14th May. Well done to John Galvin and his Fortuna Racing Ownership Team – that’s their 9th win in NZ so far in 2022”

Fortuna Director John Galvin was on track to celebrate the win with some of his Ownership Group “That was very exciting to watch, she traveled so well in the run and was beautifully ridden by Opie – she seems to be going places and big kudos to Jamie Richards who handled her so patiently during her 2yo and 3yo preparations. Well done to Mark Walker, who has only just stepped back into the Te Akau Head Training role, for training another Fortuna Syndicated horse to win, a habit he has been well used to over the years in both New Zealand and Singapore. Well done to David Ellis also for picking this Mare out for us at the 2019 sale – I specifically recall saying to him ‘please find me a filly that can develop into a Cups horse one day'”

SOPRANO SUPREME – winning post in her sights

Bred by Tim Harrison, Soprano Supreme was acquired by David Ellis on behalf of Fortuna Racing at the NZ Bloodstock 2019 Karaka Yearling Sale for $62,500 from the draft of Te Runga Stud.

She is raced by the Fortuna Soprano Supreme Syndicate, an Ownership group of 62 individuals from New Zealand, Singapore  and Hong Kong