Cover image courtesy of Peter Rubery at Race Images
Written by Paul Vettise
Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) is in the closing stages of her career and will be offered for sale later this year, but connections have yet to decide where she will go under the hammer.
Discussions on that front will be ongoing and in the meantime the Jamie Richards-trained Group 1 machine will have opportunities to add to her remarkable record with two further starts likely in New Zealand before another trip to Australia.
“No decision has been made yet, but we have sought and gained proposals from the three auction houses – New Zealand Bloodstock, Inglis and their Chairman’s Sale and Magic Millions,” Fortuna Syndications Director, John Galvin, said.
“Myself and two other syndicate members, who are on the management committee, are perusing those and there is no need to make any decision yet. We are focused on her racing.”
Melody Belle (NZ) after winning her 13th Group 1 | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery at Race Images
Melody Belle will run in Saturday’s G1 Herbie Dyke S. at Te Rapa with a start in the G1 Bonecrusher New Zealand likely to follow.
“She’s had a marvellous career and longevity and durability have been her strengths. For her ownership group it has been a life-changing experience and not just financially, but emotionally as well,” said Galvin, who will lock in Melody Belle’s future program after the weekend.
“For her ownership group it has been a life-changing experience and not just financially, but emotionally as well.” – John Galvin
“There were two options for us to consider post-Saturday’s race and one of those was The All-Star Mile, which is run on the Saturday of the Bonecrusher at Ellerslie,” he said. “In the last few days we have pulled out of The All-Star Mile.
“If she goes well on Saturday, which is of course our expectation, she will most likely head to the Bonecrusher and then look at Australia.”
The Championships will offer two tasty options for Melody Belle.
“We didn’t nominate for the G1 Doncaster H., but we did nominate for two races on the second day, that being the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. and the G1 Coolmore Legacy (Queen of the Turf S.),” Galvin said.
Queensland return
Queensland is also very much on the cards for Melody Belle, who won the G2 Sires’ Produce at Eagle Farm as a 2-year-old on a past visit.
“There are a couple of nice races for her, the G2 Hollindale S. is a good lead-up to the G1 Doomben Cup. That’s all pencilled in and we’ll take it step-by-step,” Galvin said. “If she did go to the Doomben Cup, that would be her career-ending race.”
Melody Belle’s last-start success in the G1 Thorndon Mile drew her level on 13 Group 1 career victories with Sunline (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB}).
“You only have to look at the record book of Group 1 winners internationally to recognise what she has achieved has been quite remarkable,” Galvin said.
“We have been very firm that we don’t get into any comparisons with the Sunlines, Kingston Towns or Black Caviars etc. We have our horse and we don’t want to compare her with anything else,” Galvin said.
