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Live sport on SN this weekendFortuna have another exciting youngster on their hands
Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • May 2nd, 2026 4:19 pm
Zafar winning the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m) | Photo: Race Images South
Te Akau Racing and syndicator Fortuna have enjoyed a fruitful season with their Group One-winning juvenile Lara Antipova, and they now have their hands on another exciting youngster in Zafar.
There was plenty of hype surrounding the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained two-year-old ahead of his debut at Riccarton on Saturday, and the son of Snitzel duly delivered when taking out the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m).
Jumping a $1.80 favourite, Zafar secured the coveted one-one position early behind stablemate Enchantment before coming off her back in the final 200m and he quickly responded to the urgings of veteran hoop jockey Opie Bosson to dash away to a one length victory over Cool As Bling, with a further short head back to Final Time in third.
Fortuna director John Galvin was trackside for the win and he was rapt his colt was able to deliver on debut for his syndicate members.
“It was pretty exciting, there was a lot of talk about this horse,” Galvin said. “He had to do a bit of work today to get up and I am really happy with the result.”
Offered through Kilgravin Lodge’s 2025 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Yearling Sale draft, Zafar wasn’t initially identified as a potential prospect for Fortuna, but after he failed to reach his reserve in the Karaka sales ring, Walker convinced Galvin to make an offer, and a deal was subsequently brokered.
“He wasn’t on our list originally because we always buy to budget,” Galvin said. “Mark (Walker) hadn’t pointed him out to me because he thought he would make more than our budget, but as it turned out, he was passed in at $180,000.
“Mark was down here at Riccarton at the middle day of the (New Zealand Cup) carnival and he gave me a call and said he thought we should have a go at this horse and said he could offer $165,000 to see if he could get him, so I said ‘sure, good luck’, and five minutes later the deal was done.”
His handlers have been impressed with his development in the last six months, with Zafar winning one and placing in two of his trials in Auckland, giving them the confidence to test him at stakes level on debut.
Bosson was in the saddle in his last two trials and he was pleased the education he was given in his northern public outings paid dividends on Saturday.
“I am glad we decided to teach him something last time at the trials and get in amongst them,” Bosson said. “He showed today that he is a bit on and off, but he has got a lot of ability.
“He looks the ideal 2000 Guineas type horse, we have got a few of them at home at the moment, so it’s exciting times ahead.”
While an Australian campaign remains an outside possibility, Galvin said Zafar will likely be put aside for a spring three-year-old campaign geared towards the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) back at Riccarton in November.
“Probably this is going to be his last run for the season unless we go to Australia, but logistically that is difficult,” Galvin said. “We would love to come back here for the Guineas in November.
“We will probably give him a break now and prepare him for his three-year-old year.”
A race prior, stablemate Insatiable made it back-to-back wins in the Bush Inn Open Sprint (1200m), but he needed the entire length of the straight to do it.
“It wasn’t the greatest watch, but it is how he needs to be ridden,” assistant trainer Hunter Durrant said. “He needs that cover the whole way and just needs to be put on the line, and that is why we have Opie (Bosson) on, and he has got the job done.
“It is really good to see him so genuine, he could have chucked the towel in a few times there, which he has done in the past. He is just a happy horse and it is showing in his racing.”
