Melody Belle Does It Again

The Informant reports:

It was a 30-to-one upset when Melody Belle captured the Karaka Million at her last start, but this time there were no surprises as the Commands filly dominated the $225,000 Gr. 1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes at Awapuni.

Part of a three-pronged attack on today's two-year-old feature for Te Akau trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards - down from four with the scratching of Gold Fever - Melody Belle hadn't raced for two months and was up against a field stacked with class and recent form. But the remarkable ease of her Karaka Million performance in late January and subsequent trial win earned her $4.70 favouritism.

The result was never really in doubt in the running of the Group One feature as Melody Belle easily confirmed her place at the very top of this season's two-year-old fillies.

Ridden by Michael McNab, who had his first taste of Group One glory, Melody Belle stalked the leaders through the early part of the 1400-metre journey and was doing it effortlessly all the way.
At the top of the straight she took the race by the scruff of the neck, dashing through between Hard Merchandize and Joyfilly to claim the lead.

Impressive last-start winner Belle Du Nord launched a strong challenge along the inside, but Melody Belle shrugged her off and raced away. She crossed the finish line a length and a half clear, with McNab standing in the saddle to celebrate a career-best win with an ecstatic salute.

Melody Belle descends from the famous “Belle” line founded by James and Annie Sarten and carried on by their daughter Marie Leicester. Bought by David Ellis for $57,500 as a yearling at Karaka, Melody Belle has now won three of her five starts and more than 12 times that amount in prize-money.

Autridge or Richards being flanked by dozens of overjoyed syndicate members has become a familiar sight this season - Melody Belle after the Karaka Million, Hall Of Fame in the Levin Classic, Gold Fever in the Matamata Breeders' Stakes, and most famously Gingernuts in the Avondale Guineas, New Zealand Derby and Rosehill Guineas.

On Saturday it was more of the same as the winners' circle filled with delighted members of John Galvin's Fortuna Melody Belle Syndicate.

“I think there's about 40 owners in the syndicate,” Autridge said. “Some of them only have shares of 1 or 2 per cent, but that doesn't matter - they've won a million-dollar race, and now they've won a Group One as well.

“This filly was always travelling like the winner but that's the way she's looked in everything that she's done in the last couple of weeks. She's just done nothing but improve. She's a very, very good filly.

“I'm very happy for Michael McNab. He's been hanging out for a win like this for a while, and you could see the emotion as he passed the post. This might be the making of him now.”

McNab, who was handed this Group One opportunity with the stable's number one rider Opie Bosson in Sydney to ride Gingernuts, struggled to describe his feelings following the big win.

“I don't know what to say,” he said. “I've had a few challenges along the way in my career, some of them self-inflicted - I got off track a bit sometimes. But it's great to be at Te Akau now and with my family around me, and this win is a big buzz.

“We had a beautiful run. She started pulling a bit when the leaders came across in front of me, but she came back to me really nicely. She was travelling so well at the turn and I just needed the split, and then she got to the lead easily. I thought she was there to be run down, but she just kept going.”

Belle Du Nord and Joyfilly completed a clean sweep for the fillies in today's race, finishing second and third. The Sires' Produce Stakes has been dominated by fillies in recent years with four wins in the last five years - Recite, O'Marilyn, Luna Rossa and now Melody Belle.

The minor placings for Belle Du Nord and Joyfilly were great results for first season sires. Belle Du Nord is by Westbury Stud's Reliable Man and Joyfilly is by Berkley Stud's Highly Recommended.