Fortuna 2yo Filly, MELODY BELLE, wins on debut at Ruakaka

The promising Fortuna 2yo filly, Melody Belle, stamped her authority over a small but even field on her debut run at Ruakaka Wednesday 12th October in a two-year-old event over 900 metres.
The winner of her only trial at Avondale on September 20, she was not even destined to make her debut at Ruakaka, as the plan had been to trial her again at Cambridge on Tuesday 11th October, however with the Cambridge trials being cancelled due to heavy track conditions and the scheduled race date at Te Aroha 12 October being moved to Ruakaka to obtain better footing for horses, her connections decided to throw her in the deep end and allow her to make her race day debut.
Melody Belle winning at Ruakaka 12th October
Melody Belle winning at Ruakaka 12th October
Drawing the ace barrier with the rail out four metres  and in the hands of the very competent Cameron Lammas,  Melody Belle (nicknamed “Valerie”) was always going to prove a handful, provided she jumped well and saw out the race distance.
She did indeed jump well, held the rail in the run, cornered like a professional and finished the race off under a hold from rider Lammas, much to the delight of a big group of her owners who were on course to support her. Click HERE to see race result and Video Replay.
Syndicate Manager and Fortuna  Director John Galvin was very pleased with his charge’s success, “We really liked this Filly at the sales and managed to secure her under our budget” he said, ” and she has never put a foot wrong since. Beautifully bred by a leading Australian Stallion in Commands (by Danehill) and out of a winning Iffraaj mare, she looks as if she has the makings of a really nice two-year-old and is proving to be an astute purchase”
“Valerie” was purchased by David Ellis and Jamie Richards on behalf of Fortuna, at the Karaka premiere sale for $57,500, is eligible for the Karaka Million event in January 2017 and is raced by the Fortuna Melody Belle Syndicate consisting of 31 individuals many of whom have been part of other Fortuna Filly Syndicates .