Reigning New Zealand Horse Of The Year Melody Belle wins Group 1 races for fun in her homeland but if she needed to prove something to Australians she did that in spades in Saturday’s $1,000,000 Group 1 Tab Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.
Ridden by Opie Bosson for trainer Jamie Richards, the 5yo daughter of Commands came from worse than midfield to overpower Aristia (Lonhro) by one and a half lengths with Spanish Reef (Lope de Vega) a further one and three-quarter lengths back in third.
It was the tenth Group 1 for Melody Belle who won the Group II BRC Sires' Produce Stakes on a heavy track at Eagle Farm at her first start in Australia but had been out of a place in three subsequent starts in Australia.
It was the seventh Group 1 in 2019 and there is not a horse that has won more at the elite level worldwide this year.
“She’s great mare and while horses she was beating in New Zealand may be questionable she can only beat what’s in front of her and she has been doing that really well,” Richards said.
"This is awesome, this is what it's all about. We're proud Kiwis and we're happy to be over here representing the country.
“She’s so versatile she can go back and relax like today or she can use a barrier and go forward if she draws a gate so she's a fabulous horse and been so good for my career.
"Gingernuts winning the Rosehill Guineas was pretty special but to come to Melbourne in the spring and be competitive after a frustrating run of placings in Group Ones, it's really good to get the monkey off the back."
Melody Belle advances her record to 15 wins and 3 thirds from 25 starts with earnings of $2,516,918.
Bred by Marie Leicester and raced by the Fortuna Melody Belle Syndicate, Melody Belle was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $57,500 at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale from the draft of Haunui Farm.
A member of the famous Belle family, Melody Belle is the first foal to race out of the winning Iffraaj (GB) Meleka Belle was the last foal from the Sir Tristram mare Empress Belle a homebred Leicester’s father James Sarten.
Empress Belle left 15 foals with 11 winners from 13 to race including the stakes-placed winners Tsarina Belle, Desert Rain, Kiwinsky and Housemaster.
Andrew Williams Bloodstock purchased a Tavistock filly out of Meleka Belle for $3009,000 at the 2019 NZB Karaka Book 1.
Meleka Belle was not covered last season.
