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Outstanding Commands mare Melody Belle should have clinched the NZ Horse of the Year title for the current season with her win in the G1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes at Ellerslie on Saturday.
Melody Belle capped a wonderful campaign when she recorded her fifth G1 win for the season and the sixth of her career in her final start for 2018-19.
The four-year-old has won six of her eight starts and over $700,000 prizemoney this season.Arguably this victory was her best performance of the season as the Jamie Richards-trained mare had to overcome seven other G1 winners and had to do it the hard way as she looped the field with second favourite Danzdanzdance before they engaged in a two-horse war for the last 300m.
Trainer Jamie Richards said Melody Belle will now go to the paddock and return to work in May to prepare for next season when she is expected to target the WS Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.Melody Belle was purchased for $57,500 out of the Haunui Farm draft at the 2016 NZB National Yearling Sale at Karaka by Te Akau Racing boss David Ellis on behalf of syndicator John Galvin under his Fortuna Bloodstock banner.
Her 2YO season included victories in the Karaka Million and G1 Diamond Stakes plus a G2 win in Brisbane but 2018-19 has been extraordinary with the mare winning the G2 Foxbridge Plate, G1 Tarzino Trophy, G1 Windsor Park Plate, G1 BCD Group Sprint, G1 Haunui Farm WFA Classic and G1 Bonecrusher Stakes over distances from 1400m to 2000m.Melody Belle (Commands x Meleka Belle by Iffraaj) has won 11 of her 20 starts amassing prize-money of NZ$1,625,40.
She is the sole winner out of the winning Iffraaj mare Meleka Belle, a half-sister to four black type performers, including G1 NZ 1000 Guineas placed Tsarina Belle (Stravinsky).Meleka Belle has a 2YO by Tavistock and a yearling by the same sire. She is currently in foal to Not A Single Doubt.
Meleka Belle is from the three-time winner Empress Belle (Sir Tristram), a sister to the stakes placed Chelsworth (Sir Tristram).Danzdanzdance (Mastercraftsman), who was meeting Melody Belle for the first time, is also a multiple G1-winning mares who also went through the Karaka sale ring as a yearling.
Danzdanzdance cost just $5000 at the 2016 NZB Karaka Select Sale and ws placed in the G1 New Zealand Derby last season.She has become an elite performer this season with victories in the G1 Captain Cook Stakes and G1 Zabeel Classic.
Danzdanzdance, who is now likely to head to the Sydney autumn carnival, has had 13 starts for four wins, five placings and $484,213 for her large syndicate of owners.