Melody Belle (NZ) Claims Fourth Group 1

Bought for just $57,500 at the 2016 Premier Sale, Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) is now a four-time Group 1 winner.

The quartet of elite wins was completed at Te Rapa on Saturday, where she prevailed in a heart-stopping finish to the $200,000 Group 1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m).

Melody Belle originally rose to stardom as a two-year-old, when she won the Karaka Million (1200m), the Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and the Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).

After an up-and-down season as a three-year-old, she roared back last spring with back-to-back Group 1 wins in the Tarzino Trophy (1400m) and Windsor Park Plate (1600m). She returned from a spell with a brave third after a wide run in the Group 1 Sistema Railway Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie, but didn’t fire in the Group 1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham two weeks later.

On Saturday she was right back at her very best. Hopelessly blocked behind a line of horses at the top of the straight, she and jockey Troy Harris dived through on the inside of Bostonian (NZ) (Jimmy Choux) and Ardrossan (Redoute’s Choice) to win by a head.

“I must admit I gave her away a bit at the top of the straight,” trainer Jamie Richards said. “Full credit to the horse, she is just so tough and never gives up.

“I don’t know what happened at Trentham, but that is the real Melody Belle today.”

Bought by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis from the draft of Haunui Farm, Melody Belle is raced by the Fortuna Melody Belle Syndicate.

She has now had 18 starts for nine wins, three placings and $1.38 million in stakes – 24 times her purchase price.