Kiwi Filly to Strike Right Note
10 June, 2017
racingbase.com reports:
You couldn't have been more impressed with the last start win of Melody Belle, and if she holds that form, she's clearly the one to beat in today's Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) at Doomben.
Trained by Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards, the daughter of Commands took out the rich Karaka Million (1200m) before going for a break and returning with a Group 1 win in the NZ Sires' Produce (1400m) at Awapuni.
She then travelled to Australia, and despite having 56 days between runs - with a soft barrier trial in between - she blitzed her BRC Sires' Produce rivals and scored by a widening 4.8 lengths.
That was on a Heavy track at Eagle Farm and the Commands breed are notorious for getting through the mud, but her Karaka Millions win was on a Good track, and with that versatility up her sleeve, it's hard to see any of her last start rivals turning the tables.
Charlie Chap, Up Trumpz, Sambro, Lord Cecil, Magnufighter, Aloisia and Silky Brown are the only runners to bring different form lines, and of those, you could only make a case for Sambro and Aloisia.
Sambro goes into the race with a fitness edge over a lot of these and is bred to get further, while Aloisia won impressively at Flemington in her Australian debut and is open to a stack of improvement.
However, Melody Belle has the runs on the board and it would take a brave person to back against her on the unknown.
Barrier 9 looks tricky on paper but she jumped from 7 last start with Oppie Bosson on board and got into a lovely trailing position.
If Bosson can secure cover just behind he speed, Melody Belle should be challenging strongly as they enter the straight and then kick away for another big win.