Group One Glory For MELODY BELLE
Karaka Million winner Melody Belle (2 f Commands – Meleka Belle, by Iffraaj) stamped her authority over her fellow Two Year Olds with another impressive win in the $225,000 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) on Saturday at Awapuni.
At 32 to 1 when winning New Zealand’s richest race ($1m Karaka Million (Listed, 1200m)) on 29 January at Ellerslie, Melody Belle ended up a $4.70 favourite in the Sires’.
Unsighted at the races since her Karaka Million success on 29th January, Melody Belle indicated to trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards that her fitness was up to the mark after cruising home for a classy win when trialling over 1000 metres on 21 March at Matamata, with Opie Bosson in the saddle.
Recording his first Group One victory, rider Michael McNab had Melody Belle travelling beautifully in fourth, appeared to have plenty of horse underneath him turning for home and after quickening through a gap to lead at the 200m she ripped away to score by 1 ½ lengths.
On Slow8 footing, Melody Belle ran the 1400 metres in 1:25.5.
Owned by the Fortuna Melody Belle Syndicate, an ownership group of 32 individuals and managed by Fortuna Director, John Galvin, the first foal from winning mare Meleka Belle was purchased for $57,500 by David Ellis on behalf of Fortuna, from the draft of Haunui Farm, at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, and recording her third win from five starts took her earnings to almost $700,000.
“What a thrill that was and she’s a stunning filly that will be even better next season,” said Ellis, of the filly bred by Marie Leicester. Steve and Jamie have had their licence for only eighteen months and that was their eighth Group One win, which is a phenomenal performance.
“ When I first inspected her I said to Jamie that I had seen an absolutely gorgeous filly, with a lot of speed and the quality and type to go on, and we bought her for what is now an exceptional price.
“I’m thrilled for John Galvin who has done a fantastic job, works really hard syndicating these horses and his Fortuna Syndications business is on an incredible roll.”
Only a matter of months ago, Te Akau and Fortuna Syndications celebrated their 100th success together when Dame Margo Fonteyn (High Chaparral) scored in December at New Plymouth, that total has now raced to 111 joint successes and last week Ellis purchased the seven year old Gelding, Chance to Dance (Teofilo) for Fortuna at the inaugural Inglis Chairman’s Sale of Elite Racing Prospects on 30 March at the Newmarket complex in Sydney. Te Akau trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards are now preparing Chance to Dance for the $2m Sydney Cup (Gr. 1, 3200m) on 8 April.
“Post Karaka Million we set her for the Group One Sistema Stakes, but she scoped a little bit dirty and we had to scratch her,” said John Galvin, of the lead up for Melody Belle.
“She then trialled really well at Matamata, and her work since then had been brilliant, even this week on slow tracks. It was always a question mark in our minds about the slow track, until they do it on race day you never quite know. But, on the basis of her work over the last week or two we did have high levels of confidence.
“It was just a matter of whether she would handle the track and whether or not she had luck in the running.
“It was a lovely ride by Michael McNab. He got her into the right place, always within striking distance, found the gap as they turned in and was threatening without looking like she might run away from them, but when she changed legs at the 150-metre mark she put the race to bed,” he said. “I am just so happy for our owners, not only are they having the thrill of a lifetime, but they now own a very valuable filly, one who has a very promising future.”