Kiwi Owner Seeking a G1 Family Double

Media Release - Sunday November 3

Aucklander Kevin Mackenzie feels he has a duty to deliver the second leg of a remarkable family double as he ponders Melbourne Cup success on Tuesday.

Mackenzie's nephew Grant Smith is a part-owner of Melody Belle, a brilliant winner of Saturday's Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington for trainer Jamie Richards and the Fortuna Melody Belle Syndicate of owners.

New Zealander Kevin Mackenzie and his Melbourne Cup charge ConstantinopleNow Mackenzie is hoping to uphold his end of the bargain as a part-owner of Constantinople, the TAB's $8.50 second favourite for the Gr.1 A$7.75 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday.

"Grant is my sister's boy and he'd been working at a gold mine on the border of Mongolia last week and flew in on Friday to watch Melody Belle race," Mackenzie said.

"He hasn't seen a lot of her races but I'd shown him footage of her trackwork at Flemington on Tuesday and he was pretty excited about being there. It was absolute magic for him. She was just brilliant.

"Now I've got to deliver us the second leg of the double."

Mackenzie, a Kohimarama-based industrial relations specialist who grew up close to the Te Rapa racetrack in Hamilton, bought a share in Constantinople in August after Victorian trainer David Hayes negotiated a deal to buy 80 per cent of the Galileo entire in a A$1.4 million package deal with Cape Of Good Hope, with owners Coolmore retaining the remaining 20 per cent.

A veteran of "40-odd" marathons, Mackenzie opted to only take shares in Melbourne Cup prospect Constantinople because of his bent for stamina but the former right-hand man of New Zealand rich-lister Graeme Hart is convinced "Con" still has the necessary speed to win.

"He's a horse with plenty of tactical speed. He won a two-year-old race by 10 lengths," Mackenzie said.

"He brings a similar profile to the winners of the last two Melbourne Cups. He comes in with similar ratings and has run in similar races

Constantinople - image Bruno CannatelliBoth 2017 winner Rekindling and last year's victor Cross Counter won as three-year-olds to northern hemisphere time and like Cross Counter, Constantinople tackled the Gr.3 Gordon Stakes (2412) at Goodwood and the Gr.2 Great Voltigeur Stakes (2385m) at York, finishing second in both, before going into quarantine.

He then finished a luckless fourth in last month's Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), denied clear running at a crucial stage of the straight.

"He nearly went down on his nose. As David said, we should have the Caulfield Cup sitting on the mantlepiece," Mackenzie said.

Advertisement

"The last 50m, he picked himself up and hit the line strongly and he's come through the race beautifully. He was getting ready for the Melbourne Cup but the last 400m of his trackwork was faster than Melody Belle's on Tuesday.

"He's a colt and apparently he had been misbehaving a bit early on but since he’s been with David, there's been no issue whatsoever. He's just a lovely horse and he's so intelligent."

Mackenzie, who celebrated his 67th birthday with a Victoria Racing Club luncheon on Sunday before enjoying owners drinks at Lindsay Park's Flemington stables in the afternoon, became acquainted with David Hayes during his time working in Hong Kong in the 1990s when the trainer was also based there.

"Lindsay Park is just the perfect model of a training business. They are just superb," said Mackenzie, whose best horse to now was Excellantes, a winner of 12 races for Brisbane trainer Robert Heathcote including five at stakes level.

Among his co-owners in the 80 per cent shareholding in Constantinople are Scott Perrin, the former boss of Billabong surfwear, and Mick Burns, a crocodile farmer from Darwin.

Mackenzie, whose grandfather Doug Mackenzie stood Fair's Fair at Kempton Park Stud near Putaruru and raced steeplechasing great Hunterville, was hoping Constantinople could help him leave his mark on the family's racing history.

"I never get too starry-eyed. He's a three-year-old colt by Galileo who has only had nine starts so he's still in the early stages of his career," Mackenzie said.

"But I can find no negatives. If I had another horse in the race, I'd be worried about this guy for sure. It would be unreal. It's just been so quick. We're only talking two and a bit months since we got him and now we're one of the favourites in the Melbourne Cup.

"He's a lovely big horse and he'll love 3200m. He gets in with a lovely light weight and if he gets a clear run at them in the straight, I don't know if anything would beat him." - NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Up and Coming Well Named - So Who Are These Guys?
The $250,000 Group III ATC Up and Coming Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on Saturday is a race well named with a field of eight colts and geldings set to line up and while none are stakes-winners yet, one of them will be after the weekend.
One to Watch – Gosford
He’s big and beautiful and it looks like the patient approach might be about to pay off for this talented I Am Invincible four year-old who won on debut at Gosford on Friday.
Stars on Show at Caulfield Spring Opener
The 2025 Victorian Spring Racing Carnival officially bursts out of the gates this Saturday with the Stow Storage Caulfield Spring Opener, headlined by the first Group 1 of the season, the $750,000 Stow Storage Memsie Stakes.
Sir Stanley Goosman’s Impact on the National Yearling Sale
Karaka 2026 will mark the 100th National Yearling Sale in New Zealand, and a prominent buyer during the history of the Sale was Stanley Goosman (later Sir Stanley).  He was a key player at the Sale during the World War II era, and headed the list of winning owners in New Zealand on 10 occasions.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday August 27
Here is the full list of 42 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Tara Talks Racing – Stallion Parades, Old Legends and a Weekend Tip
We’re back in podcast land as the spring unfolds with plenty to talk about following our recent run of visits to the stallion parades, so what stallions did we like?
Promising Winner and a Star on the Rise
One of the bargain priced sires on the Newgate Farm roster, Cosmic Force has never lacked for company covering 100 plus books of mares in each of his five seasons at stud so far totalling nearly 700 mares.
Hello Youmzain Filly Chasing More Stakes Success
Hello Youmzain (Fr) filly Platinum Diamond will put her undefeated Heavy track record on the line when she heads to Wanganui on Saturday to contest the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1200m).
Via Sistina Honoured at NSW Horse of the Year
One of the greatest seasons of all time has secured Via Sistina the TAB NSW Champion Horse of the Year award. The Chris Waller-trained mare was recognised at Racing’s Night of Champions for her outstanding performance in 2024/2025 which included equalling Winx’s record of seven Group 1s in a single season.
Spring Trial Watch – Everest Contenders on Show
The Rosehill trials on Thursday morning featured a couple of key Everest contenders with Private Harry winning easily over speedy 3YO North England, while Lady Shenandoah was under a tight grip to finish third in a later heat.