Matamata Tuesday Trackwork

Melody Belle advanced her Windsor Park Plate claims with dashing work ahead of the big Hastings race at Matamata this morning.

The form horse of spring feature racing to date, Melody Belle was ridden by raceday jockey Shafiq Rusof when paired on the plough with race rival Our Abbadean, who also had her weekend rider Danielle Johnson in the saddle. The Jamie Richards-trained pair worked away steadily from the 1200-metre mark, cutting out the distance in 1:16.8 and upping the tempo for a final 1000m in 1:01.3 and 600m in 35.8.

Melody Belle held a slight edge at the line, but both mares pleased their trainer ahead of Saturday's big race. “Melody Belle has trained on very well, she's in the zone,” said Richards. “That's Our Abbadean on the training track, she's also done well since that good run (for third) in the Tarzino.”

Stablemate Avantage (D Johnson) looked ready for a big fresh-up effort in Saturday's Gold Trail Stakes when she and Don'tblamethemusic (Rusof) cut out 1000m in 1:05.8 and a final 600m in 36.

Hastings-bound Cavallo Veloce (S McKay) and Matuzalem (Lammas) underlined their prospects with sterling work over 1000m in 1:02.2 and 35.3. Watch This Space (Danis) ran a good trial for Hastings in company with Livin On A Prayer (Roff) over 1000m in 1:03.7 and 35.5.

Autumn Wild (Yanagida) and Sheezanicegirl (Pertab) caught the eye ahead of Friday's Taupo meeting with 800m in 49.4 and 36.2, while two others on a  similar mission were Spirit Of Galway (D Johnson) and Queen Of The Air (Rusof), who returned 48.8 and 36.3.

King Kane (Bosson) worked well over 1000m in 1:03.6 and 36.4, while over the distance Sarabande (R Jones) took 1:05.2 and 37.8, Tattle (P Turner) and Shine (S Collett) 1:06.8 and 36.6, Bayamo (A Jones) 1:05.2 and 37.6, South Fork (S Collett) 1:04.8 and 36.9, and O'Hara (S Collett) and Havoc (C Cole) 1:06.9 and 37.3.

Bizzwinkle (Fawcett), who will run at next week's local meeting, was partnered by Simply Impeccable (Dowling) in a smart 1200m in 1:18.4, 1:01.2 and 35.9. Over the same ground That's How It Goes (Miles) and Stevie's Surprise (P Brosnan) returned 1:18.6, 1:03.9 and 37.8.

On the course proper, which was dead with the markers at 20 metres, Windsor Park Plate entry Ocean Emperor (Fawcett) got through his work well, striding comfortably over 1200m in 1:22.6 and recording sectionals of 1:06.7 and 38.5. He will be ridden by Mark Hills at Hastings.

Gold Trail Stakes candidate Rocket Fuel (Handley) was in good form alongside Taupo entry La Mia Stella (Lammas) over 1000m in 1:05.5 and 37.6. Le Sablier (Coleman) prepared for Hastings in company with Vermont (Dowling), running 1000m in 1:06.4 and 37.8.

Joe's Legacy (S McKay), who runs at Pukekohe on Sunday, looked bright as he strode through the last 1000m of his work in 1:09.6 and 40.8. Ruby Armani (Bayliss) was keen in the early stages of 1000m, which she cut out in 1:03.6 with a final section in 38.3.

Hastings entry Tiny Terror (Parvan) and Taupo-bound Arrogant (Bayliss) ran a tidy 1000m in 1:05.9 and 37.4.

On the all-weather track The Mitigator (P McKay) and Langkawi (S McKay) were in good form over 1000m in 1:03.4 and 36.8. Volpe Veloce (Handley) was not after time over the same distance in 1:08.5 and 39.

Taupo entry Sheez Leica (Newman) was timed over 800m in 51 and 36.2, while Rolled Gold (Johansen) took 49.5 and 36.8, and Azabeat (Roff) Alphastar (Danis) 49.6 and 37.2.

Credit - Dennis Ryan