Group 1 Glory for Melody Belle

Karaka Million winner Melody Belle (2 f Commands - Meleka Belle, by Iffraaj) stamped her authority over the juvenile set with another impressive win in the $225,000 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) on Saturday at Awapuni.

At 32 to 1 when winning New Zealand's richest race ($1m Karaka Million (Listed, 1200m)) on 29 January at Ellerslie, Melody Belle ended up tote favourite ($4.70 & $2.00) and third fixed odds favourite ($5.50 & $2.20) in the Sires'.

Unsighted at the races (62 days) since her success on the eve of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka, Melody Belle indicated to trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards that her fitness was up to the mark after cruising home for a classy win when trialling over 1000 metres on 21 March at Matamata, under race day rider Michael McNab.

Recording his first Group One victory, McNab had Melody Belle travelling beautifully in fourth, appeared to have plenty of horse underneath him turning for home and after quickening through a gap to lead at the 200m she ripped away to score by 1 ½ lengths.

On Slow8 footing, Melody Belle ran the 1400 metres in 1:25.5.

Although somewhat inexperienced on slow going, her ability to cop an off track may not have proved too great a factor. Before racing she won a trial on slow ground, both Commands (Danehill) and the dam sire Iffraaj (Zafonic) have left progeny that act with give in the ground and stoutness on her dam side helped tough it out.

Owned by the Fortuna Melody Belle Syndicate, managed by John Galvin, the first foal from winning mare Meleka Belle was purchased for $57,500 by David Ellis, from the draft of Haunui Farm, at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, and recording her third win from five starts took her earnings to over $700,000.

“What a thrill that was and she's a stunning filly that will be even better next season,” said Ellis, of the filly bred by Marie Leicester.  Steve and Jamie have had their licence for only eighteen months and that was their eighth Group One win, which is a phenomenal performance.

“Not only was it a fantastic effort by the filly, but by all the staff. They have all been working so hard, are so dedicated, and it makes me extremely proud to be the leader of a team that are just so professional in every way.

“I was on my own when I first saw her and said to Jamie that I'd seen an absolutely gorgeous filly, with a lot of speed and the quality and type to go on, and we bought her for what is now an exceptional price.

“When I was a young bloke, I remember another Melody Belle really well. I recall her winning a big race at Ellerslie, for trainer Ray Verner and jockey David Peake. She was a very, very good filly and raced by Marie Leicester and her parents Jim and Annie Sarten, and it's great to have her namesake doing so well.

“I'm thrilled for John Galvin who has done a fantastic job, works really hard syndicating these horses and his Fortuna Syndications business is on an incredible roll.”

Only a matter of months ago, Te Akau and Fortuna Syndications celebrated their 100th success together when Dame Margo Fonteyn (High Chaparral) scored in December at New Plymouth, and last week Ellis purchased Chance to Dance (Teofilo) for Fortuna at the inaugural Inglis Chairman's Sale of Elite Racing Prospects on 30 March at the Newmarket complex in Sydney.

Te Akau trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards are now preparing Chance to Dance for the $2m Sydney Cup (Gr. 1, 3200m) on 8 April.

“Post Karaka Million we set her for the Group One Sistema Stakes, but she scoped a little bit dirty and we had to scratch her,” said Galvin, of the lead up for Melody Belle.

“She then trialled really well at Matamata, and her work since then had been brilliant, even this week on slow tracks. It was always a question mark in our minds about the slow track, until they do it on race day you never quite know. But, on the basis of her work over the last week or two we did have high levels of confidence.

“It was just a matter of whether she would handle the track and whether or not she had luck in the running.

“It was a lovely ride by Michael (McNab). He got her into the right place, always within striking distance, found the gap as they turned in and was threatening without looking like she might run away from them but when she changed legs at the 150-metre mark she put the race to bed,” he said.

Melody Belle was strapped by Milou Grylls.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz