Belle of the (Debut) Ball

Two-year-old filly Melody Belle (Commands - Meleka Belle, by Iffraaj) got her career off to a perfect start with a polished display in the New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Pearl Series 900 metres on 12 October at Ruakaka.

Presented in terrific order by trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards, Melody Belle was relaxed and focussed in her preliminary and held her poise from start to finish.

Away smartly from barrier one for rider Cameron Lammas, Melody Belle co-led on the inside of stable-mate Summer Monsoon (Stratum), railed well around the home bend, gained an advantage soon after straightening and kept going boldly under a hand ride to win with her ears pricked - the Te Akau pair providing the quinella.

Vying for favouritism, she paid $3.40 & $1.90 on the tote after running the 900 metres in 53.7 and last 600m in 34.6 on Dead5 footing.

Owned by the Fortuna Melody Belle Syndicate, managed by John Galvin, the first foal from winning mare Meleka Belle was purchased by David Ellis at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale from the draft of Haunui Farm.

“I was rapt to see Steve and Jamie's first two year olds come out,” Ellis said.

“We normally like to give our two year olds two trials but when the trials were cancelled yesterday I thought we might as well run them.

“I think he's got quite a lot of improvement in him,” Ellis said about the colt, Summer Monsoon.

“We bought the winner at Karaka, and the second horse in Sydney. We paid $57,500 for the Commands filly that won and I actually remember a filly called Melody Belle when I was a young bloke that was trained by Ray Verner. She was a very, very good filly and raced by Marie Leicester and her parents Jim and Annie Sarten, and I was thrilled when John Galvin asked me to buy a filly for him and just delighted to see that she won the bonus today too."

In addition to the winning stake, Melody Belle won the Pearl Series bonus of $8,000.

A bonus scheme designed to support fillies and mares racing in New Zealand, the New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Pearl Series is participated by fillies nominated as a yearling with the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association.

And interestingly, the most recent version of Melody Belle was also bred by Marie Leicester.

“She is a nice filly that Dave (Ellis) bought for John (Galvin) out of Karaka,” co-trainer Richards said. “He didn't pay a lot of money for her, but she is from a good breed of Marie Leicester's and she's a chance to get through to some of the better races later on.  It's good to race these fillies in New Zealand [with bonuses on offer], something John is very keen on and hopefully she can continue to work through the grades.

“He was a little bit green, yet,” Richards said, of Summer Monsoon. “He was probably in the same boat as the other horse, probably needed another trial but just with the wet weather in the Waikato we thought we'd bring him to the races.  However he performed well and he's certainly a horse that will continue to improve."

Fortuna Syndications is no newcomer to its horses receiving Pearl Series bonuses, as Darci's Dream (Darci Brahma) became the second recipient for Te Akau trained horses back in August 2014 at Taupo.

John Galvin said of the victory by Melody Belle: “It was a lovely win, and better than going to the Cambridge trials yesterday, as was planned, so we threw her in the deep end today and had a nice result.

“We were looking for a filly at the sales, and there were two or three we missed out on, over our budget, but this girl came in under our budget and she was a lovely type.  We've always liked her and thought she was a real two-year-old type, so she's obviously Karaka Million registered and we'll play it by ear from here and see how we go.

“We had Windborne [trained by Te Akau] two years ago won about this time of year and she went on to the Murdoch Newell and won that of course, so we might pursue the same option with this horse as well. But we will see how she pulls up and what the training team have got to say.  We've got a great crew of owners here and we're all very happy,” Galvin added.

Prior to racing, Melody Belle displayed natural ability and plenty of resolve when seeing off a rival to win her heat in 36.8 at the trials on 20 September at Avondale, and has good depth of talent through her family.

Melody Belle was strapped by Janet Groves-Farmer.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz