Owners, Strapper, Trainer, Buyer Farewell the Belle

 

There will a few tears today as many of Melody Belle's owners, her Manager, her strapper, her trainer and the man who purchased her on day one assemble at the Magic Millions' sale today to farewell our Queen!

James Tzaferis of racing.com reports:

 

Melody Belle's traveling groom Ashley Handley will farewell her favourite mare when she leads the 14-time Group 1 winner through the ring at Tuesday's Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast.

Fortuna Racing's John Galvin, as well as Julian Blaxland, who is offering Melody Belle under his Blue Sky Premium Consignment draft, made the kind offer after the daughter of Commands finished her racing career in Saturday's G1 Doomben Cup.

For Handley, as well as a 14-strong group of owners who have made the trip to the Gold Coast, Tuesday's sale will provide a fitting opportunity to celebrate the racing career of their horse of a lifetime.

"I'm leading her through the ring, which will be pretty exciting, it'll be a nice end to it all," Handley said.

"She's done a lot of New Zealand racing and definitely for Te Akau and Fortuna.

"I've let her be for a bit, I know what the sales are like and it can get pretty hectic, so you don't need someone there hanging around all the time but it's pretty cool to be able to come and see her.

"I think she'll make a good mum, she loves the young ones and she's a very kind horse."

WATCH: Melody Belle proves popular on the Gold Coast

Blaxland said Melody Belle is a standout in one of the strongest broodmare sales he's attended.

The Blue Sky Premium Consignments draft consists of 42 fillies and mares, including Stakes performers Platinum Angel, Mystery Love and exciting two-year-old Queen Of Wizardry, who ran fourth in the Magic Millions Classic earlier this season.

"She's the best-performed race mare to go through the ring anywhere in the world this year," Blaxland said.

"Jamie Richards has done an incredible job with this mare over a long period of time, she was a top two-year-old and she's raced at the top level as an older mare - she retires sound and she was competitive in a Group 1 on Saturday.

"It's really exciting to have her through the ring for Te Akau and Fortuna Racing and we can't wait for tomorrow (today Tuesday)."

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