Melody Belle claimed her seventh Group 1 victory on Saturday, returning to Hastings and brilliantly defending her title in the Tarzino Trophy – the first elite race on the New Zealand calendar.
Last season was Richards’ first year in sole charge of the powerful Te Akau Racing operation, and he landed seven Group 1 prizes – a third of New Zealand’s annual total of 21.
Melody Belle was the major contributor, stringing together wins in the G1 Tarzino Trophy, Windsor Park Plate, BCD Group Sprint, Haunui Farm Classic and New Zealand S.
It was a career-defining 4-year-old campaign for Melody Belle, who won the Karaka Million and G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce S. as a juvenile but had a quiet 3-year-old season. She is virtually guaranteed the title of New Zealand’s Horse of the Year during next Sunday’s awards ceremony at Ellerslie.
Melody Belle winning the G1 Tarzino Trophy
Her dominance was slightly dented by a first-up defeat in this month’s G2 Foxbridge Plate – a race she won 12 months earlier. But Saturday was a sparkling performance that ranks among the best of her outstanding career.
After a slow break from a wide gate, rider Michael McNab was happy to settle in third-last behind a strong early pace.
He began to improve his position down the side of the track, following in the slipstream of the favourite Endless Drama (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}).
McNab angled Melody Belle into clear air in the straight and sent her into overdrive. She blazed down the outside of the track, sweeping past a field of talented rivals to win by three-quarters of a length from Wyndspelle (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) and Helena Baby (NZ) (Guillotine {NZ}). McNab stood in the saddle in a jubilant salute.
David Ellis and Jamie Richards
“It’s unreal,” he said. “It was a great opportunity to ride for David (Ellis, Te Akau Racing principal), Te Akau, John (Galvin, head of Fortuna Syndications) and Jamie.
“All credit to the horse. I stepped slowly from the gate, and I thought, ‘Oh well, that’s Plan A gone.’ I was going to try to go forward. So I just decided to go back. I went back, got in, and I was able to chase Endless Drama down the side.
“I got her out in the straight and just let her rip. She’s an amazing horse. She’s a no-frills type of horse, but she’s a real warhorse.”
“I got her out in the straight and just let her rip. She’s an amazing horse." - Michael McNab
Bought for just NZ$57,500 by David Ellis as a yearling at the NZB Karaka Yearling Sale in 2016, Melody Belle has now won 12 of her 22 starts for the Fortuna Melody Belle Syndicate.
A shot at history now awaits, with the G1 Windsor Park Plate on September 21 and the G1 Livamol Classic on October 5 next on her agenda. No horse has ever completed the spring Group 1 weight-for-age treble at Hastings.
Melody Belle (NZ) as a yearling
“We’re looking forward to coming back for the next one in a couple of weeks, and then we’ll have a crack at the 2000 metre of the Livamol as well,” Richards said.
“She’s a star. You can’t fault her. I was kicking myself after her first-up run, we needed to have done more with her in her trial.
“She was beaten fair and square that day, but she improved with the run and I knew the 1400 metre would suit her today.
“She’s done a terrific job. On the speed, off the speed, it doesn’t matter. She’s just a champion. Well done to John Galvin and his great group of owners, and to David for buying her.”
McNab’s triumphant turnaround
Melody Belle will have to share the Tarzino Trophy headlines with her jockey, who has turned his career around in terrific style.
McNab spent six months of last year riding in Queensland, but had endured some ups and downs since returning to his homeland.
“It was a no-panic ride today,” Richards said. “He was just struggling a little bit after coming back from Australia, but David took him under his wing and did a lot of work with him.
“He’s been going out to the farm each day after riding trackwork and spending a lot of time in the gym. He’s got his attitude and weight right.
“As we could see from his ride today, he’s certainly in a good space at the moment.”
