New Zealand’s Queen of the turf, Melody Belle, will be out to secure her crowning glory in the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick next week after her brave fourth-placing behind Nettoyer in the Gr.1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) on Saturday.
The 10-time Group One winner sat three wide the trip for regular hoop Opie Bosson and looked to be a winning chance on the turn, however, her 57kg impost told in the final stages of the race.
Fortuna Syndicate manager John Galvin said he was proud of Melody Belle’s brave effort in the race.
“We got a three-wide run and that was always going to be a risk from the draw (11).
“We didn’t get any luck, but she loomed on the turn and she looked like a strong winning chance with 300m to go.
“The lighter weighted horses just ran past her in the last little bit. But I couldn’t be happier with her, she has put on a really brave performance.”
Melody Belle will now likely back-up in next week’s Queen Elizabeth providing the Jamie Richards-trained mare comes through Saturday’s contest in good order.
“The Queen Elizabeth was her primary goal and we needed to find a race between the All-Star Mile (1600m) and the Queen Elizabeth,” Galvin said.
“The race today was perfect for her with the gap between those races. We always knew she would have to carry some weight in this with her being the highest-rated horse in the race. But that is what handicap racing is all about.
“She did her best under the weight and if she backs up next week in the Queen Elizabeth, which is our plan, she will be back to weight-for-age and up to 2000m. She will be very competitive in that race as well.”
While disappointed he was unable to be in Sydney for the race because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Galvin said her large group of syndicate members were cheering her on throughout New Zealand.
“I am sure there were people up and down the country all watching from inside their bubbles. It is a shame we couldn’t be there, but that’s the way it is.
“She is a flagship horse for us and Te Akau Racing and it has been a wonderful ride for all of us and it is great to have a horse like that in the team.”
One of Melody Belle’s chief rivals next week will be stablemate Te Akau Shark, in what shapes as a vintage Queen Elizabeth field.
