Group I Goals for Exciting Iffraaj Filly

Media Release - Monday January 1
Nigel Tiley is hot on a trail paved with Group One gold with his unbeaten filly Melt.

Melt - Trish DunnellWith elite level goals in mind, the Pukekohe trainer will now ease up on the daughter of Iffraaj following her impressive victory in the Group III  Barneswood Farm Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year's Day.

"She can have a little bit of a break and she's not Karaka Million eligible so we'll get her back for the Sistema here and then have a crack at the Sires," Tiley said.

The Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) will be run on March 10 with the Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni three weeks later.

A debut winner of the Listed Ashford Lodge Stakes (1100m), Melt sat off the early speed and she unwound powerfully in the closing 150m.

"She jumped beautifully and came back nicely," Tiley said. "I thought with 200m to go that she was going to run a battling third, but she did what good horses do and pulled out more."

Melt is raced by her co-breeder Andrew Fowler and is out of the multiple stakes winner Ticklish.

She was again ridden at Ellerslie by Michael McNab, who also partnered the filly in an earlier trial success.

"She's only had two starts, both in stakes race, and she's put away really good horses in both," he said.

"She's a beautiful little horse and I was able to slot in after the start and we got a beautiful trip.

"She was a bit flat in the straight, but when she wound up she really picked them up."

Melt won by three-quarters of a length from Bit Lippy, who came from last, with pacemaker She's A Thief third and Al Hasa, who raced outside the leader, weakening to fourth. – NZ Racing Desk.


Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Monday September 22
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
2025 National Thoroughbred Week Launched
National Thoroughbred Week, the newly launched industry initiative designed to bring the public closer to the thoroughbred and our sport, is excited to confirm a truly trans-Tasman exposure, with hosts confirmed across all Australian and New Zealand regions.
Career Best Victory for Wentwood Grange Favourite Yearling
Dean Hawkins admits to shedding a tear or two when With Your Blessing was sold as a yearling.
One to Watch – Warrnambool
So You Think is the first sire to hit 40 winners for the season and he did it with a three year-old filly that won easily on debut at Warrnambool on Monday in the Kia Ora Stud colours.
Breednet Follow the Official Sydney 2YO Trials - 4-6
All 2YO heats this morning run at Randwick over 850m with these trials the key factor in deciding fields for the Group III ATC Breeders Plate and Gimcrack Stakes in two weeks time.
Kiwi Cup Contender Headed to Australia
Melbourne Cup aspirant Trav secured his plane ticket across the Tasman with a pleasing performance over 2100m at Ellerslie on Saturday.
Tara Talks Racing - Trials and Racing
This week we’re talking trials after an insightful set of official 2YO trials in Sydney, plus some racing and how Fangirl will eventually go to stud with two Group I wins less on her resume than there should be.
Breednet Follow the Official Sydney 2YO Trials - 7 – 9
All 2YO heats this morning run at Randwick over 850m with these trials the key factor in deciding fields for the Group III ATC Breeders Plate and Gimcrack Stakes in two weeks time.
Home Affairs 2YOs Shine at Official Sydney Trials
I Am Invincible’s exciting young sire son Home Affairs was the talk of the town after the yearling sales this year when his progeny topped both Magic Millions and Inglis Easter and at Randwick on Monday morning he had two runners at the official 2YO trials and both of them came out winners.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.