Fortuna Racing will be seeking success on both sides of the Tasman this weekend, including with Lara Antipova, who will have her final start before next month’s Gr.1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield.

Trainer Mark Walker had intended to line her up in next week’s Gr.2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m), but the daughter of Russian Revolution has been bouncing out of her skin since her Listed Michael Moroney (1400m) triumph at Flemington a fortnight ago, and the decision has been made to step her out a week earlier in Sunday’s Gr.2 Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Caulfield.

“Originally, we were going to go to the Edward Manifold next week but she just came through her last run so well that we thought she didn’t need a three-week break, let’s give her a two-week break and then she can have a three-week break into the Guineas,” Fortuna Racing’s John Galvin said.

Galvin was pleased to see her bounce back to winning form last start after running ninth in the Gr.3 Quezette Stakes (1100m) first-up.

“It was a bit of a relief, but it wasn’t overly surprising,” Galvin said from Hawaii, where he has been holidaying. “I know she wasn’t that flash first time, but she had excuses and we were pretty confident going into that race at Flemington that we would see a better outcome, and she certainly delivered for us that’s for sure. She was giving weight to those colts and geldings and managed to beat them all. It was a good result.

“It was quite emotional in the room afterwards, there was a huge number of (Moroney) family members there. I said to Paul (Moroney, Michael’s brother) before the race ‘mate, this is a race I really want to win today, for more than one reason’, and so it came to be.”

Lara Antipova will carry 55kg on Sunday, two kilograms less than her rivals, and she will be ridden by Zac Lloyd from barrier four.

“I got down on my knees on Monday night and prayed to the racing gods for a good draw,” Galvin said. “With the rail out 13m, the draws are going to be like gold. We have come up with four.

“Because it is a set weights race, she is carrying 55kg, so compared to the weights scale last time, she is significantly better off. She beat many of the competitors that she is racing against on Saturday last time.”

Lara Antipova will be tested over a mile for the first time this weekend, and Galvin is looking forward to getting a gauge on his filly over the distance ahead of the Thousand Guineas.

“The only query is the mile,” said Galvin, who will be trackside on Sunday. “We are pretty confident that she will run the mile, but you never know until they do it, and this is the first time. The Thousand Guineas is the target.”

Back in New Zealand on Saturday, Fortuna’s promising colt Zafar will be seeking to bounce back in The Pavilion At Riccarton Park Three-Year-Old (1200m) at Riccarton.

The three-year-old son of Snitzel won on debut in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1200m) at the Christchurch track as a two-year-old. He was sent out an even money favourite when resuming at Riccarton last month, but Galvin said 1000m was too short for him and he suffered his first career defeat when running fourth.

Galvin has received positive reports since that run and expects him to improve this weekend.

“We are pretty excited about him,” he said. “I see he is a pretty warm favourite, but he is a talent. The 1000m was a bit short and he had only had one trial, but he has just come through that race so well, he has just blossomed and strengthened, so we are expecting a bold run from him on Saturday.”

Galvin is also expecting to see plenty of improvement from Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m) aspirant Court Of Appeal when she tackles the Waimakariri Businesses North Canterbury Cup (2000m) third-up.

“Her first-up run was obviously a lead-up run and then she got out of her ground last time and she just doesn’t have that turn of foot to be able to finish strongly over a mile from that far back in the field,” he said. “This time, up to 2000m, I think we are going to see a potentially good outcome there as well.” - Joshua Smith

Fortunato steps up for hometown Guineas

Unbeaten three-year-old Fortunato will face the biggest test of his short career when he steps out in Saturday’s Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) at Hastings.

The Guy Lowry and Leah Zydenbos-trained gelding created a strong impression on debut at Taupō last month, coming from last to defeat a field containing several proven black-type performers over 1100m.

Fortunato is rated a $4.80 second favourite for Saturday’s feature, with the market headed by the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained Excite at $3.60.

That performance followed victories in both of his trials, and Lowry has long held a high opinion of the son of Per Incanto.

“He’s a horse who’s always shown us a huge amount of ability at home,” Lowry said.

“He’s won every trial and jumpout, and we’ve had a lot of time for him since the very beginning.

“Craig Grylls rode him first-up and quickly told us that he was keen to stick with him, so that gives us a bit of confidence.”

Fortunato has been given time to develop since his August 16 debut and pleased his trainers when galloping between races recently.

“We think he’s going alright leading into Saturday,” Lowry said. “He galloped between races the other day and went nicely. He seems to be where we want him to be.”

Saturday will present two new challenges for Fortunato, with the gelding stepping straight from maiden company into Group Two company and stretching from 1100m to 1400m.

Lowry is realistic about the task, particularly with several of Fortunato’s Taupō rivals having had the opportunity to progress since their first-up meeting.

“He won pretty nicely that day,” he said.

“He was perhaps a bit more ready than some of the others in that field, and they may have caught up with him a little bit through the few weeks since then.

“So all we can do is line him up in a race like this on Saturday and see whether he still measures up with some of the better ones of his age.”

The additional 300m is another unknown, although Fortunato’s racing manners give Lowry confidence he will give himself every opportunity to see out the distance.

“The step up from 1100m to 1400m is a bit of a query, and I can’t guarantee that he’ll handle it,” he said.

“But he’s shown in his trials and that first start that he can relax quite nicely, so I think there’s a good chance he’ll manage it.”

Co-bred by Little Avondale Stud, Fortunato is by the stud’s headline stallion Per Incanto.

Victory on Saturday would carry extra significance for the locally based Lowry and Zydenbos stable, with Hastings hosting its first Group One raceday since September 2024 following extensive work on the track.

Fortunato will also attempt to become the first locally-trained winner of the Hawke’s Bay Guineas since Jimmy Choux won the race for John Bary in 2010.

“It’ll be really good to have a big day like this in Hawke’s Bay again,” Lowry said.

“We’ve been waiting a while through the track renovations. The track’s looking in great order, so it should be good racing. We’re all looking forward to it.” - NZ Racing Desk

In-house rivalry building at NZB ahead of Gold Trail Stakes

There’s been a fair bit of banter in New Zealand Bloodstock’s Karaka office this week, with fillies owned by a pair of the auction house’s longest-serving employees going head-to-head in the Gr.3 HBPB Thoroughbred Breeders Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings on Saturday.

International Bloodstock Manager John Cameron co-bred and is in the ownership of the Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall-trained Hawea, while Insurance Advisor Jim Bruford’s colours will be carried by the Ben and Ryan Foote-trained Actionbelle.

Both fillies have gone through the Karaka sales ring, with Cameron selling Hawea to Brendon McCullum and Richardson Racing for $300,000 last year, and subsequently remained in the ownership, while Bruford purchased Actionbelle at last year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale for $90,000 and syndicated her amongst friends.

They have both showed plenty of promise to date, with Hawea winning last month’s Listed Chittick Family Fillies Classic (1100m) at Taupo after placing in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) as a two-year-old, while in her two starts as a juvenile, Actionbelle placed on debut before winning the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) at Otaki in July.

It will be the first time Hawea and Actionbelle will meet on raceday, but they did get a sight of each other recently when Hawea beat Actionbelle in their 1050m trial at Te Rapa a fortnight ago.

Bruford said he is enjoying the friendly rivalry with Cameron, and their colleagues haven’t been shy about stoking it this week.

“We have been working together for a long time,” Bruford said. “I have been here 33 years and John has been here for over 50.

“There is a bit of respected rivalry. We have been at the office a couple of days this week and have had a chinwag over this and that, and the other staff all chuckle about what is going to happen.

“We will both be there on course.”

It’s also fitting that the Gold Trail Stakes is a part of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year series, and both Bruford and Cameron are hoping their fillies can gain maximum points this weekend.

“The Hawke’s Bay Thoroughbred Breeders are the main sponsor, but it is a New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year race, and we are all looking to get some points in that. Both of us are preparing for the (NZ) 1000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m), it is quite exciting.”

Bruford was taken by Actionbelle when he inspected her at Henley Park during her Ready to Run Sale preparation, and he is pleased he put his hand up to buy her.

“I bought her at the Ready to Run Sale last year. I have got a few horses that I ssyndicate,and I had a bit of interest from some of my owners if I bought a filly,” Bruford said. “I always liked Bivouac and I think I bought her under the odds. She was an athletic type of filly and she breezed nicely. She was a typical Ready to Run Sale product, you can see a bit more than you do as a yearling.”

Actionbelle has already earned back half of Bruford’s initial outlay, and he is hoping she will surpass that figure as she progresses through spring.

“She has shown us enough in her two runs,” Bruford said. “We went down to the Castletown after an encouraging third in her first start. She did what we wanted on a Heavy track, so we were pretty happy with that.

“If you can get some black type as a two-year-old it is great and we had a reasonable opinion of her, and we still do. We gave her a little break to lead into the Gold Trail to give her a crack at something a bit better as a three-year-old filly. It (Gold Trail) is a good field, but we will be there trying our best.”

While Bruford will be trackside at Hastings on Saturday, he will also be keeping a close on Riccarton where another of his syndicated horses, Vendabelle, will resume in the Cup Week Tickets On Sale Now (1400m) for trainer Anna Furlong.

The two-win mare came of age in autumn when winning one and placing in four of her five starts, and Bruford is hoping she can build on that momentum as a five-year-old.

“She was very consistent in autumn and hopefully she will improve on that now,” he said.

“I am quite surprised that the TAB have got her as favourite for the race. She has drawn 20 of 21.

“She is the older half-sister to Grocer’s Girl, but she didn’t come anywhere near as early as Grocer’s Girl did. She has got ability, but I think she will need a bit more ground before she shows her best.”

Bruford has taken a liking to Vendabelle and Grocer’s Girl’s dam Vendella, having purchased all four of her progeny to date.

“I started off with Vendabelle and then bought Grocer’s Delight, who showed a lot of promise before she unfortunately fractured a leg and we had to put her down,” Bruford said. “Grocer’s Girl was the third one and we have got the Ocean Park gelding, who is called Ocean Trader, that we bought from the online yearling sale in April. He is the fourth and he has just turned two.”

Bruford is particularly excited about the prospects of the Tony Pike-trained Grocer’s Girl, who races in the silks of trans-Tasman syndicator OTI Racing.

The daughter of Tarzino has placed in three of her five starts to date, including runner-up in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m), and she will likely join Actionbelle in the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November.

“Grocer’s Girl has been very promising,” Bruford said. “We were tossing up whether to have a go at the VRC Oaks (Gr.1, 2500m) or remain in New Zealand, and we decided we will target the New Zealand races rather than going to Melbourne.

“We are thinking more of the autumn distance races rather than spring, but she will go to the 1000 Guineas and we will progress from there.

“They will both (Actionbelle and Grocer’s Girl) be qualified to get in and it is quite possible that they will both be there competing against each other." - Joshua Smith

Trainer and jockey aiming for a change of luck

Trainer Lucinda Boyd blamed jockey error for the defeat of Haaland (NZ) (Pentire) at Morphettville last time out which she hopes can be righted in the Prestige Equine Veterinary Handicap (2500m) at Murray Bridge on Saturday. 

Boyd doesn't like to 'bag' jockeys, but she gave herself a rap over the knuckles for her ride on Haaland when runner-up at Morphettville on September 12. 

Combining training and riding, Boyd partnered with Haaland to win successive races at Sandown and Geelong just on 12 months ago and was having her first ride back aboard the stayer after four starts for other riders. 

"This horse really enjoys the firmer surfaces, and we thought he should have probably won last start," Boyd said. 

"It was a bit more of jockey error, than his fault. 

"When a $101 pop whipped around the field, I didn't want to get sucked into chasing it, but when it did whip around, I probably should have kept my momentum, but it's easy to sit back and say that now. 

"He's a tricky horse, as he can get in front and switch off and I was bearing that in mind because I didn't want that to happen if he was to get past that horse and be in front for too long. 

"I think I probably should have backed him in a little bit more than what I did." 

Haaland has been winless since scoring on Geelong Cup Day last year but said the stayer had been racing well. 

Big weights had forced Boyd from the saddle with claiming apprentices being called on. 

"I've been keen to get back on him," Boyd said. 

"He had big weights at Swan Hill and at Sandown, and to be fair Holly (Durnan) did a really good job on him (three runs back) and that's why we kept her on and claimed the second time, but I was pretty keen to get back on him. 

"He's going well this preparation. He can really sustain a good gallop and now that he's fit, we can use that to his advantage and over a suitable trip as well." 

Boyd concedes she does not get as many rides as she would like but added she was busy with her own team of horses and a young family. 

"It's a bit tricky because people don't enquire for me to ride because I'm not riding all the time," Boyd said. 

"If I ride horses at jump-outs, I'll put my hand up for the race ride, but we've got a young family and our own horses in work, and it's hard juggling everything." 

Boyd, Haaland and the team left for Murray Bridge on Thursday, a plan they used when the stayer was beaten at Morphettville last time. 

"It allows him to settle in," Boyd said. 

"We did that last time when we went to Morphettville.

"We think that is a good recipe."  – RAS Newswire