Matamata Tuesday Trackwork

Telegraph favourite Melody Belle confirmed her readiness for Saturday's big Trentham sprint with an impressive gallop at Matamata this morning.

The course proper provided dead footing 20 metres out, where raceday rider Jason Waddell partnered Melody Belle as she and Classic Touch (P Turner) cut out 1000m in 1:06.8, hitting the line full of running after a final 600m in 36.6.

Melody Belle has pleased trainer Jamie Richards since her unlucky Railway run and will head south in capital condition. The Stephen Autridge-trained Classic Touch, who has been knocking on the door, gets her chance at Tauranga on Friday.

Two other Telegraph runners to catch the eye were Sweet Leader and Livin' On A Prayer. Sweet Leader (Yanagida) went with Two Madison (Karlsson) over a truly run 1000m in 1:03.4 and 600m in 37.4. Sweet Leader finished fifth in last year's Railway before heading to Hong Kong and then returning to Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott after two unplaced runs. He is in forward condition for Saturday's big test.

Livin' On A Prayer (Hillis) caught the eye in her work with Thorndon Mile entry Watch This Space (Danis). The Hillis stablemates had pace on throughout 1000m to return 1:03.7 and 36.5.

Leading Thorndon candidate On the Rocks (Bayliss) went with Depends On Situation (Pilley) over 1200m in 1:23.6, 1:07.9 and 38. The Rich Hill Mile winner got through his work impressively, while his maiden companion also did well ahead of his engagement at Te Rapa on Sunday.

Another Thorndon candidate, Tiptronic (Handley), was paired with Tauranga runner Raspberry Sweet (Hashizume) over 1200m in 1:20.2, with the last 1000m in 1:04 and 600m in 36.7. Patch Prince (Yanagida) and King Of The Dance (Miles) also did sound work over 1000m in 1:06.2 and 36.9, as did Trentham entry Lady Painton (Newman) with 1000m in 1:06.8 and 37.3.

Savy Yong Blonk (Coleman), who steps up to feature company in Saturday's Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham, went with Shezathinka (Rusof) over 1200m in 1:24, 1:07.2 and 38.3. Gold Spice (Hashizume) covered the same ground in 1:19.2, 1:04.9 and 38.6, Le Sablier (Tynan) took 1:23.8, 1:09 and 39.6, She's Not Bad (Nason) and Qiji Crystal (Rusof) 1:21.6, 1:06.8 and 37.8, and Paisley Park (Handley) and Sponge Bob (Parma) 1:18.9, 1:05 and 38.2.

Last-start winners Naval Fleet (S Collett) and Maison Roxanne (Ritchie) looked bright in their work over 1000m in 1:06.8 and 38.7. Germanicus (Coleman) and Thousand Stars (McCall) cut out the same trip in 1:06.5 and 37.8, Slow Hands (Yanagida) and Ocean Go (Karlsson) took 1:04.2 and 38, Princess Kereru (Donoghue) and Penteverest (Winter) 1:10.4 and 40.1, Wonder Woman (Bayliss) 1:08.5 and 38.6, and Inamorata (McCall) and Vainglory (S Collett) 1:08.5 and 39.2.

Credit - Dennis Ryan