Te Akau’s head trainer has guided the 5-year-old to an impressive 10 top-flight wins and she will attempt to add to her tally in the G1 PFD Food Services Futurity S., although Richards said she will be much improved for the outing.
He will be watching Melody Belle from his home base on Saturday with father Paul, an accomplished trainer in his own right before taking a senior role with the Te Akau operation last year, overseeing the mare’s preparation.
Melody Belle (NZ)
“We’re happy with her and she had a nice gallop at Caulfield on Tuesday. Dad has been pleased with her,” Richards said. “We’re sure she’s going to run well, but there’s a tightening of the screw to come yet.”
Winner of the G1 Empire Rose S. at Flemington during the spring carnival, Melody Belle hasn’t raced since she came from the tail of the field to finish runner-up in the G1 Mackinnon S. behind Aidan O’Brien’s Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
Richards said Melody Belle was enjoying her return to familiar surroundings at Flemington, her Australian base for the autumn campaign which, after the weekend, will focus on the $5 million All-Star Mile.
“She’s obviously been to Flemington before and she seems nice and settled and happy to be back there.”
Richards will be at Matamata on Saturday with runners in black-type races there, Karaka Million winner Cool Aza Beel (NZ) (Savabeel) in the G3 Waikato Stud Slipper among them, and will also be keeping a close watch on the Otaki meeting.
Classic hopes
The stable will be represented there by Prise De Fer (NZ) (Savabeel) and Avantage (Fastnet Rock) in the G1 Haunui Farm WFA Classic. The former has won six of his 12 starts, the last five on the bounce including the G2 Rich Hill Mile and the G3 Taranaki Cup.
“We’ve always liked him and typical of a 3-year-old who has developed and carried a bit more condition now as a 4-year-old,” Richards said. “We’ve found his best trips, 1400 to 1800 metres after we tried to make him stay as a 3-year-old.
“He’s out of a Snippets mare and there’s a fair bit of speed on his mother’s side. He’s a nice horse and doing a good job, but he’s up with the big boys now so he needs to go to a new level again.”
Barnmate Avantage won the G1 Telegraph two runs back before she overcame an awkward beginning in the G1 BCD Group Sprint to get home late for fourth.
“She ran well and soft ground wouldn’t worry her. If the rain arrives, I think Avantage is more effective and she seemed to handle it well in Sydney,” Richards said. ”Prise De Fer has got a very good action and might appreciate a better track.”
“Prise De Fer has got a very good action and might appreciate a better track.” – Jamie Richards
Meanwhile, Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) and Te Akau Shark (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) are making all the right moves in Sydney ahead of their respective starts in the G1 Surround S. and the G1 Chipping Norton S. on Saturday week.
Probabeel trialled well at Randwick earlier this week, but Richards is respectful of the opposition she will face in the Surround.
“I thought the G2 Light Fingers S. was a very good race won by Flit with the hood on, and there were some very good runs by the Godolphin horses in behind (Lyre and Kiamichi),” he said.
“Also, Funstar will be going into the Surround fresh. We’ve got a lot of respect around her as she beat us twice in the spring.
“If Probabeel can find her form, having been competitive in the spring in Sydney, then we are in with a chance. Maybe she will be better suited up to a mile though.”
“If Probabeel can find her form, having been competitive in the spring in Sydney, then we are in with a chance.” – Jamie Richards
Te Akau Shark showed he had come back well following his runner-up finish in the G1 Cox Plate with an explosive win in the G1 BCD Group Sprint at Te Rapa.
“He’s moving well and he always takes a little while to settle in, he’s not an overly big eater. We wanted to get him over there a bit earlier and get him settled because he’s got a few big weeks in front of him,” Richards said.
All going well after the Chipping Norton, Te Akau Shark will also run in the G1 George Ryder S. and the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. – races the mighty Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) made a clean sweep of in 2017, 2018 and last year.
Te Akau Shark (NZ) (outside)
