The Melbourne Cup Carnival holds special memories for both Te Akau Racing and Fortuna Racing, and there could be more to come with five black-type contenders on Derby Day at Flemington on Saturday.
Te Akau basked the carnival spotlight 12 months ago with their sensational sprinter Imperatriz, who won the Gr.1 Champions Sprint (1200m) with a performance worthy of the race’s name. That was one of five Group One wins in Melbourne last season for the incomparable mare, whose all-conquering campaign earned her New Zealand Horse of the Year honours.
Fortuna’s carnival highlight came in 2019 with the greatest horse to race under their banner, Melody Belle. After jumping from gate 13 among a 16-horse field, she and jockey Opie Bosson stormed home over the top of their rivals to land the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1200m). Melody Belle would go on to set a New Zealand record with her total of 14 wins at the elite level.
Imperatriz, Melody Belle and fellow trans-Tasman star Probabeel have combined to deliver five Horse of the Year titles in the last six years for horses bought by David Ellis as yearlings.
Imperatriz and Melody Belle are a hard act to follow, but Te Akau, Fortuna and their trainer Mark Walker are heading to Flemington on Saturday with both quantity and quality on their side.
Their five-strong contingent is headed by high-flying Fortuna filly Bellatrix Star in the Gr.1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).
The daughter of Star Witness was bought by David Ellis and Fortuna for $80,000 as a yearling at Karaka, and she showed real promise as a two-year-old with two wins in New Zealand including the Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m).
But she has gone to a whole new level in Melbourne this spring, stringing together increasingly impressive victories in the Listed Cap D’Antibes Stakes (1100m), Gr.3 Scarborough Stakes (1200m) and against older sprinters in the Gr.2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m).
Bellatrix Star will come up against an elite field of three-year-olds in Saturday’s Coolmore, for which the TAB rates her an $8.50 chance. She is the fifth favourite behind Growing Empire ($3.50), Traffic Warden ($4.20), Switzerland ($6.50) and Lady Of Camelot ($8).
“She’s just gone from strength to strength in this campaign and we’ve been very proud of her,” Walker said. “It’s another step up in class on Saturday, but we couldn’t be more pleased with her build-up. She’s done everything right since the Schillaci. She deserves this opportunity.”
Bellatrix Star will attempt to become the fourth filly to win the Coolmore in the last decade, joining Sunlight (2018), September Run (2020) and In Secret (2022).
Walker will be represented by new recruit West Indies in the Gr.1 Penfolds Victoria Derby (2500m). Previously trained by Ciaron Maher for a maiden win at Kembla Grange and a last-start fourth in the Gr.3 Caulfield Classic (2000m), the Fastnet Rock gelding was bought by Fortuna for A$200,000 on an Inglis Digital Sale late last month.
“He’s an interesting new addition to the stable,” Walker said. “He’s got a very difficult draw (gate 17), so we’re probably not going into the Derby with a huge amount of confidence. But he seems to have the makings of quite a nice horse. He’s still fairly lightly framed, so he’s probably going to be better in the autumn.”
Flemington specialist Sans Doute will line up in the Gr.3 Furphy Sprint (1100m). Her five starts down the famous ‘Straight Six’ chute have produced four wins, with the only defeat being a seventh on Heavy9 ground in the Gr.2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) in September.
“She has a great record at Flemington, which stands her in good stead,” Walker said. “She just needs a dry track, and it looks like she’s going to get it on Saturday. I’d say she’s our best chance of the day.”
The stable’s five Derby Day entries are rounded out by promising fillies Our Paramour in the Gr.2 HKJC World Pool Wakeful Stakes (2000m) and Stage ‘N’ Screen in the Gr.3 TAB Vanity (1400m).
“Our Paramour has done a good job in her short career to date and has trained on nicely from her last-start win at Cranbourne,” Walker said. “She’s proven up around that 2000m, having already won over a similar distance last time out. She’s just got a bit of a tricky draw (gate 13), so we might need to ride her for luck.
“I think she’s a nice prospect for the Oaks (Gr.1, 2500m) on Thursday. Her preparation has been aimed towards that, and everything’s gone to plan so far.
“Stage ‘N’ Screen won quite impressively in her only start and is a filly that we really like. She’s also entered for a race on Tuesday, so we’ll just weigh up a few things like draws and strength of opposition before deciding which way she’ll go. But either way, she should be in for a nice season.”