Trained by Jamie Richards at Matamata, Melody Belle was the winner of the Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and the Karaka Million (1200m) as a two-year-old along with the BRC Group 2 Sires’ Produce (1400m) at Eagle Farm in Queensland.

Following a first-up win in the Group 2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) back in August Melody Belle has won the Group 1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m), Group 1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m), with both at Hastings in September, followed by the Group 1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa in February and Saturday’s Haunui Farm Classic.

Melody Belle under Opie Bosson was in fourth place approaching the home turn after a slow start. Bosson brought Melody Belle to the outside at the top of the straight to make her bid, and the mare swept to the lead down the outside of the track.

The winning margin was 1 3/4L to Wyndspelle (NZ) (Iffraaji) with Consensus (NZ) (Postponed) third. The time was 1:36.27 on the Soft rated track.

Melody Belle, by Commands (AUS) out of the Iffraaji mare Meleta Belle (NZ) and extending from New Zealand’s famous ‘Belle’ family nurtured by New Zealand prominent private breeder Marie Leicester, was purchased for NZ$57,500 as a yearling.

Owned by the Fortuna Melody Belle Syndicate, the valuable mare has won 10 of her 19 starts and with three third she has earned stake so of NZ$1,427,334.