3 minute read
It was an excellent day for the Fortuna NZ Racing Stable in Singapore with two winners flying their new set of colours high on Sunday, Hidden Promise in Race 6, winning for the seventh time at Kranji, and three races later, Hadeer winning for the second time in the jurisdiction.
Hidden Promise may be turning nine years old on August 1, but no one has told him that and he produced a scintillating display to win the Polytrack event by 3 ¼ lengths.
Hidden Promise had previously won six races in Singapore and five of them were at the 1600m trip, so he was at a perfect distance – drawn barrier 2 and with former two-time Singapore champion apprentice jockey Shafiq Rizuan in the saddle, he looked very well-placed.
Running in fourth position one out from the rail in the $30,000 Quechua 2015 Stakes Class 5 Division 2 (1600m), Hidden Promise ($25) looked to be really comfortable during the run. Shafiq peeled him out to a three wide position on turning and from there, the horse extended, grabbed the leader down the straight and went to the line strongly.
Fortuna Director, John Galvin, watching from his New Zealand home was really pleased with what he saw.
"Bart, as we call Hidden Promise, hardly ever runs a bad race but has not had a lot of luck in recent runs," said Galvin.
"He seems to be very well-placed today, was perfectly ridden by Shafiq and gave a great thrill to his ownership group.
"It's good to see the "old team" of Walker, Shafiq and Fortuna in action again as we have had many winners together over the years in Singapore and during his New Zealand stint in 2018/19, Shafiq rode several winners for us, including three wins on the champion Fortuna mare, Melody Belle, two of them at Group One level.
"It's been a great association – full kudos to Mark Walker and his team. Hidden Promise is one of the soundest horses in Singapore despite his age and it's a great credit to the training team."
Walker said: "Lovely win by Hidden Promise and a professional ride by Shafiq – Hidden Promise is a real favourite in the stable and he's still got a bit left in him yet.
"Congrats to John and his Fortuna Team, they are great supporters of Singapore racing and deserve every success they get."
Hidden Promise (Postponed-Promissory) was acquired by David Ellis on behalf of Fortuna Syndicators at the 2014 NZB Ready to Run Sale for NZ$65,000 and has now accumulated S$252,000 for the Fortuna Hidden Promise Syndicate, an ownership group comprising 29 individuals.
A five-year-old gelding by Savabeel out of A Real Princess, Hadeer put on a strong frontrunning effort in the hands of stable apprentice jockey Jerlyn Seow Poh Hui, to take out the $50,000 Chase Me 2012 Stakes Class 4 Division 1 (1200m, turf).
Sent out at odds of $88 to win, Hadeer had drawn awkwardly in barrier 9 in a field of 12 runners – the race plan was to try and get away well and lead and this plan was executed perfectly by Seow.
Straight into the lead, Hadeer was never challenged in the run, turning for home with a nice break, he kicked away further in the straight and while his margin was eaten into somewhat in the closing stages, he went to the line clear by 2 ½ lengths.
Galvin was really excited to have his second winner for the Fortuna NZ Stable on the day.
"Gee, Hadeer gave us a lovely sight didn't he?" he said.
"He was perfectly ridden by Jerlyn, who is really hitting her straps in her first year of riding, and a big credit to Mark and his team.
"Mark had decided after trying Hadeer at 1400m that shorter trips were his go, and applying the blinkers and putting Jerlyn on with her 4 kg allowance were masterstrokes."
Walker was also a very happy man.
"That was a lovely effort by the horse and rider. It's always good when a race plan works out and with the awkward draw, we knew we had to try and get away well and lead in order to be a winning chance," he said.
"It was great to be able to train a second winner on the day for John Galvin and his Fortuna team. They are great supporters of my stable up here in Singapore"
Hadeer was a winner in Australia at Pakenham in August, 2019 for his owners at the time, Shadwell Stud. He was acquired by Jessica Galvin, on Walker's recommendation at the October 2019 Inglis Sale for A$22,500.
As a yearling at the Inglis 2017 Easter Sale, Hadeer fetched A$620,000 for his prominent New Zealand breeder, the Taupo-based John Bromley.
Hadeer is raced by the Fortuna Hadeer Syndicate, an ownership group consisting of 46 individuals and has now had two wins, and several minor placings from 12 raceday starts in Singapore, accumulating just under S$70,000 in prizemoney to date.
The new Fortuna colours still feature a white silver fern leaf and stars on the tangerine silks, with the only change the blue, tangerine and white diagonally-striped sleeves.
