Group 2 Australian Glory for Belle

Melody Belle (2 f Commands - Meleka Belle, by Iffraaj) strengthened her hold on the Champion Two-Year-Old title with an enormous victory in the $250,000 BRC Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m) on Saturday 27 May at Eagle Farm racecourse in Brisbane.

A stunning winner of the Karaka Million (Listed, 1200m) in January at Ellerslie, Melody Belle had stamped her authority over the juvenile set with an impressive win in the Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) on 1 April at Awapuni, and now looks a readymade favourite for the $600,000 J. J. Atkins (Gr. 1, 1600m) on 10 June at Eagle Farm.

Race favourite, closing around $5.40 & $2.30 in the Australian market, Melody Belle was first out of the gates and vying for the lead before steadying to fifth at the 1000m for rider Opie Bosson. Pouncing at the 300m, it was the last they saw of her as she streaked away to score by 4 ¾ lengths.

On footing rated Heavy8, under clear skies and temperatures up to 21 degrees, Melody Belle ran the 1400 metres in 1:26.6 and last 600m in 37.3.

“She was just travelling turning for home and when I let her down she gave me a huge sprint,” Bosson said.

“All credit to Jamie (Richards) and Stephen Autridge. She hasn't run for awhile, they had her at peak fitness and it was good to get the win.  Our heavy tracks are a bit different to here, but going into any races on those sorts of tracks you're always a bit worried."

With a view to Melody Belle stepping to 1600 metres in a fortnight, Bosson said: “She relaxed so well that going to a mile next time will be ideal”.

Melody Belle was the second big race winner for trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards during the Queensland Carnival, after Shocking Luck (Shocking) raced away to win the $125,000 Rough Habit Plate (Gr. 3, 2000m) a fortnight earlier at Doomben.

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 fourth win from six starts took her earnings to nearly $900,000.

“The win by Melody Belle is fantastic for the whole of the New Zealand racing and breeding industry, because it gives them both so much credibility and recognition” Ellis said.

“It was an unbelievably good training effort by Steve and Jamie to have her near peak after not racing since winning the Sires' here (57 days), and Jamie has spent a majority of the past ten weeks in Australia.

“She looked great in the mounting yard prior and to get her ready to win first up on a soft track is a top training performance. It was a beautiful ride by Opie - God he rides that filly well, doesn't he?

“So, it was a big thrill. The last two-year-old we took to Brisbane was Darci Brahma and he ran fourth in the Sires' Produce and then won the J. J. Atkins. And I see this filly is now hot favourite for the J. J. Atkins, and why wouldn't she be?

“Melody Belle is over there with our head foreman Kerry Jones and Mason Stevens and whole team is going really well.

“The win climaxes an unbelievably good season that Te Akau has had and I'm so proud of all the staff who have helped make it happen. I'm thrilled for all our owners and we lead the premiership in stakes won for our owners this season.

“I bought this filly from Marie Leicester at the sales and it must also be a big thrill for her, as I remember another Melody Belle, that her parents (Jim and Annie Sarten) raced, winning at Ellerslie about forty years ago,” he said.

Interestingly, Melody Belle became the first Kiwi trained horse in thirty-one years to win the race. It was an outstanding effort to win, completely dominant, and vindicated the good selection of horses by the Te Akau training and management team to campaign in Brisbane.

“It was a super ride by Opie,” Richards said. “Jumped away well and put her in a gun spot. Probably didn't expect her to quicken in as well as she did on the ground, but she was certainly very impressive and a lovely filly to have in the stable.

“We were mindful that she hadn't run in a little while, and 1400 (metres) on heavy ground, so she should improve further hopefully.

“But it's great to be over here with a team of horses. Dave (Ellis) bought this filly at Karaka, didn't pay a lot for her. John (Galvin) syndicated her and there are a lot of happy owners here, so it's good to be a part of it,” he said.

Prior to the race, Melody Belle was firmly held when crossing the line on terms with the winner in a trial on 9 May at Deagon, Queensland, on Heavy8.

“She trialled well there,” Richards said. “She only had a couple of weeks off after the (NZ) Sires', so she wasn't out for long. She is certainly a robust little filly, although she didn't travel over as well as we would have liked, but by trialling her at Deagon we were able to play around with her for a week after that and her work this week has been good.”

Stepping to a mile in the upcoming J. J. Atkins, Richards said:

“She's by Commands, out of good, tough, staying sort of New Zealand family, so hopefully in two weeks' time she will be spot on.”

Melody Belle was strapped by Kerry Jones.