Te Akau Season - Stakes' Win 17 (NZ) of 30

17 July, 2024

Te Akau Season - Stakes' Win 17 (NZ) of 30


July sees the final month of our phenomenal 2023/24 racing season.  

As we like to do at this time of the year, we now reflect every day on our Group/Listed performers of the 'season that was' - and there were plenty!  In fact 30 across New Zealand and Australia, with nine at Group 1 level.

Te Akau still holds the all-time record of two year old wins and winners in a season when set by trainer Mark Walker. Our training team takes great pride in educating young horses, bringing their potential to the fore and giving them every opportunity - not just to succeed as juveniles but to train on and perform as older horses - as our unparalleled Karaka 2YO Millions' record attests ... another emerging talent was unearthed on New Year's Day 2024 ...

Fortuna Racing filly Bellatrix Star (2 f Star Witness – Alana’s Party, by Exceed and Excel) won an exciting rendition of the $225,000 Eclipse Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) on 1 January at Pukekohe.

Worthy favourite when winning the first two-year-old race of the season at Wanganui, Bellatrix Star had finished third to race rival Velocious (Written Tycoon) when resuming in the 2YO 1000 metres on 11 November at Te Rapa, and second again to her in the Counties Challenge Stakes (Listed, 1100m) on 25 November at Pukekohe.

Despite money coming for impressive debut winning stable-mate Move To Strike (I Am Invincible), Bellatrix Star rated a top three chance and fought out the finish with the two aforementioned.

Content to settle last for leading jockey Warren Kennedy, on the bridle when six lengths astern at the 600m, Bellatrix Star picked up nicely to angle clear at the 300m, quickened to level 150m out, and sustained her run to the outside of Move To Strike (second) and Velocious (third).

It was a terrific effort by the two in form stable two-year-olds, with the experience of Bellatrix Star having won on rain-affected ground previously proving paramount in a close finish.

In essence, given the rainfall, the track raced very well when rated Soft7, but at the same time benefitted those that appreciated a yielding surface.

Owned by the Fortuna Bellatrix Star Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin), she was purchased for $80,000 by David Ellis CNZM and Galvin at the Karaka 2023 Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Phoenix Park, and ended her juvenile season winning two of five starts for $207,700 in prize money.

Accepting on behalf of the owners, Galvin said: “Thank you to Mark (Walker) and Sam (Bergerson) for their training efforts, and Mark and David (Ellis) for picking this filly out for us at the Karaka sale.

“This is the first Group winning two-year-old we’ve had since Melody Belle (Commands). We only paid $80,000 for her and she won on debut, hasn’t been disgraced in her last two starts, and to win a Group Two at her fourth race day start is extremely valuable for her future.”

Stallion Star Witness (Starcraft) was a dominant winner of the Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) down the straight at Flemington, before becoming a successful sprint sire in Australia.

Grand-sire of the filly, Starcraft (Soviet Star) is well known in New Zealand, having won two legs of the Group One Triple Crown at Hawkes Bay. He won Group One races in Australia, France, and England, and became a World Champion Turf Miler.

Dam Alana’s Party is by Australian Champion Sire and leading broodmare sire Exceed and Excel (Danehill), who made a name for himself over two decades of world racing and breeding – just an extraordinary sire whose winners have numbered over 5500, 370 stakes' winners, including 17 individual Group One winners.

Grand-dam The Party Stand, by Stradbroke (Gr. 1, 1400m) winner Thorn Park (Spinning World), was an impressive winner from 1200m – 2000m, best around middle distances and included the N.Z. Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) in her resume.

In training at Matamata, Bellatrix Star is heading to the Te Akau stable at Cranbourne, and is scheduled to resume in the $200,000 Quezette Stakes (Gr. 3, 1100m) on 17 August at Caulfield. 


Te Akau previous wins in the Eclipse Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m):

2023 – Trobriand (Kermadec)

2021 – Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) 

2012 – Warhorse (General Nediym)

1998 – Te Akau Class (Masterclass)


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