Melody Belle Wins Group 1 No. 13

Dual Horse of the Year Melody Belle  (6 m Commands - Meleka Belle, by Iffraaj) took a step closer to the all-time Group One record when winning the Thorndon Mile (Gr. 1, 1600m) on Saturday at Trentham.

Equalling the 13 set by mighty mare Sunline (Desert Sun), Melody Belle will receive a chance to further her record in the $400,000 Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) on 13 February at Te Rapa.

From the time, as a two-year-old, she got her career off to a perfect start with a polished display in the New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Pearl Series 900 metres at Ruakaka, Melody Belle has been the epitome of equine professionalism and once dubbed ‘mini Winx' she stands alone after “climbing the equine Everest”, said commentator Tony Lee.

In the same race as won by her great-grandmother Honey Belle (Better Honey), Melody Belle came from a handy position and proved too classy under rider Opie Bosson, recording his second win in the race and 79^thGroup One overall.

“It was a very good win by a Champion mare and I'm really proud of everything she's been able to do for Te Akau Racing and the New Zealand racing industry,” said leading trainer Jamie Richards.

“Her first run off a break, to win over a mile first-up is a massive effort. She had been looking good in training and she got the job done in great fashion.

“We owe thanks to Dave (Ellis) for buying her as a yearling, and to John (Galvin) and his team for entrusting us to train her. She's been such a great campaigner and probably her two greatest attributes are competitiveness and her soundness. She's been issue free all the way through, which is a really big help and makes my job a lot easier.”

Purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM for $57,500 as a yearling at Karaka, Melody Belle has won of 13 Group One races (18 from 36 in total) and $4.14 million prize money for owners in the Fortuna Melody Belle Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin).

“It was pretty exciting, while we also felt concern for the connections of Rock on Wood who did not complete the race,” Ellis said.

“It's quite an incredible training performance to go from November to the end of January without a race and win like that over 1600 metres. You can do it over 1200m, but you've really got to know what you're doing fresh-up over a mile and she'll improve immensely for that run.

“I take my hat off to Jamie (Richards) and the team. It's a great effort and I was really impressed. For Melody Belle to be mentioned in the same breath as Sunline is quite amazing in terms of a record tally.

“So, I'm proud of the whole team and also delighted for Fortuna. John Galvin's a terrific supporter of Te Akau Racing in New Zealand, and in Singapore.”

Ellis, as a buyer of young thoroughbreds, is always looking for horses that have the scope in their physiques to train on, and in Melody Belle he has the perfect example.

“All our Karaka Million winners, except On the Bubbles who hasn't had a chance yet, have gone on to win Group One races. That's four out of five, with Melody Belle winning 13, Avantage six, and Probabeel two in Australia.  Cool Aza Beel also went on to win a Group One and has now ready for an exciting future at stud in Australia.

“As a two-year-old, Melody Belle won two Sires' Produce Stakes, one in New Zealand and one in Australia. She's got better at three, four, and five, and having her best ever season as a six-year-old, and that's the sort of horse we're trying to buy.

“We're very busy at home syndicating the yearlings we've bought over the past couple of weeks. It's proving to be a huge success and we've never sold so many shares so quickly.

“We've had a lot on interest from new owners and a lot of reinvestment by existing owners, so it's very encouraging. And, when I'm going around the farm and seeing all these yearlings I can't wait until they're racing next season because I think we've bought the best line of yearlings I've ever seen on the farm.”

Accepting the trophy on behalf of the owners, syndicate manager John Galvin said: “It's fantastic to come here and win a Group One race at Trentham. I was brought up in Lower Hutt, and as a teenager Trentham was like a second home to me.

“I often wondered if I could get to the ‘other' side of the fence. I made it here in 2005 as a member of the Darci Brahma syndicate when he won the Telegraph Handicap (Gr. 1, 1200m) and it's an honour to be back again today.

“I'd like to thank Marie Leicester who bred Melody Belle. It's an iconic race to win and won previously by some great horses: Grey Way, Copper Belt, McGinty, Maroofity, Sir Slick, and many more.

“David Ellis bought her for us as a yearling at Karaka. She was under budget and met the specs I'd given him to try and win the Karaka Million. She did that and of course she's kicked on and it's such a wonderful story.

“Thank you to Jamie Richards, who has been with her since he began his training career."

Melody Belle was strapped by Nicole Shailer.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz