Champion mare Melody Belle created a piece of racing history at Ellerslie on Saturday when she strode to victory in the Bonecrusher NZ Stakes (2000m), her 14th win at the elite level, to surpass the mighty Sunline for the most G1 wins in the modern era for a New Zealand-trained racehorse.
The 6-year-old daughter of Commands had attracted her share of doubters as to whether she could produce another G1 victory after being beaten at Te Rapa over the same distance in the G1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) last month.
Never a truer word has been spoken than the age-old adage that form is temporary and class is permanent as the dual New Zealand Horse of The Year gave her seven rivals, including runner-up and stablemate Avantage, a lesson as she stormed home for rider Troy Harris to win going away by a length (see video below) and spark some emotional scenes in the Ellerslie birdcage.
Trainer Jamie Richards was clearly affected by what he had just witnessed as he paid heartfelt tribute to his champion galloper. “She is such a wonderful mare,” he said. “All of the talk that she wasn’t going well enough and all that crap, well she is a champion and champions bounce back.
“It wasn’t her fault at Te Rapa and I’m just proud of her and the whole team. It was a fantastic win and I’m also just thrilled for Troy. It’s just a feelgood story.
“I’m also really proud of Avantage and take nothing away from her today as she went down fighting.”
Richards will now shift his focus with Melody Belle to a final trans-Tasman raid before she is likely to be retired at the end of this campaign.
“She is sound, happy and easy to train and loves going about her business,” he said. “I’m really proud of her and she loves to prove people wrong. This is her farewell tour, but I’m not too sure just where she will go from here. We are looking at races in Sydney and in Brisbane. 2000m is her pet trip now, so we will be targeting races like that for her.
“She has done a wonderful job and I’m just thrilled for everyone involved with her.”
Bred by Thoroughbred racing and breeding identity Marie Leicester, Melody Belle was a $57,500 purchase by David Ellis CNZM at the 2016 Premier Yearling sale at Karaka from the Haunui Farm draft for owners the Fortuna Melody Belle syndicate.
Saturday’s jockey, Troy Harris, has a remarkable record on the mare and for Fortuna in general. Saturday made it four G1 wins out of four on the mare, and over the years he has ridden 14 times for Fortuna and won 11 of them. “He had ridden in five G1s for us in total and won all five - the first one on Tell A Tale in 2008,” syndicate manager John Galvin told TRC.
Meloody Belle’s career record now stands at 19 wins and seven placings from 38 starts with all bar one of those wins coming at stakes level, including 13 New Zealand G1 victories along with the G1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington and over NZ$4.24m in total prizemoney.
The horses with the most G1 wins
25
Winx (Australia)
16
John Henry (US)
15
Black Caviar (Australia)
14
Affirmed (US)
Forego (US)
Goldikova (France)
Kingstown Town (Australia)
Melody Belle (NZ)
13
Bayakoa (Argentina/US)
Spectacular Bid (US)
Sunline (NZ)
Tie The Knot (Australia)
Zenyatta (US)
11
Azeri (US)
Beholder (US)
Cigar (US)
Enable (GB)
Lady’s Secret (US)
Lonhro (Australia)
Manikato (Australia)
Rough Habit (New Zealand)
Serena’s Song (US)
Wise Dan (US)
10
Dahlia (France/US)
Frankel (GB)
Miesque (France)
Paseana (Argentina/US)
Octagonal (NZ)
King Mufhasa (NZ)
Skip Away (US)
So You Think (Australia/Ireland)