Melody Belle Crowned Champion Two Year Old of The Year

Group One-winning filly Melody Belle (Commands – Meleka Belle) was crowned New Zealand’s champion two-year-old at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards yesterday. Trained at Matamata by Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards, the daughter of the late Commands (Danehill), a $57,500 purchase at the 2016 Karaka Premier Sale, won the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) and the Karaka Million (RL, 1200m) last season, amassing prize money earnings from just seven race day starts of $865,000. A Group of 30 people representing the Ownership Group were on hand at a glittering Horse of The Year Awards evening to receive the Award, accepted on their behalf by Fortuna Syndications Director, John Galvin