Superstar Te Akau Mares Set to Clash

Media Release - Thursday March 11

Bookmakers may be favouring defending champ Avantage in Saturday's Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie but her trainer Jamie Richards is backing Melody Belle as the pick of his pair.

Richards will clash the glamour pair in a race each has won in the past two years, favouring 13-time Group One winner Melody Belle over a middle distance.

Melody Belle

"In my mind, Melody Belle is a little bit better at 2000m," Richards said.

"There wasn't much between them at Hastings over the mile (when first and second in the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate) and then Melody Belle was pretty dominant over 2000m in the last leg (Gr.1 Livamol Classic).

"I love both horses and they've both done a wonderful job but if I'd have to say which I think is going better over 2000m, I'd say Melody Belle."

TAB bookmakers installed Avantage a $2 opening favourite for the New Zealand Stakes but she has drifted to $2.10 as Melody Belle shortened from $2.90 to $2.50 on Thursday.

Melody Belle has won a 1230m trial at Rotorua since her unplaced run in last month's Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Hastings and will be reunited with jockey Troy Harris, who is unbeaten in three starts on the Commands mare.

"Troy is really happy with how she's moving and how she's going. She's tightened up nicely from the trial and she'll give them a real shake on Saturday. We're very pleased with her," Richards said.

Advertisement

"She was disappointing at Te Rapa but through no fault of her own. She was a little bit flat at the 600m but from there it was race over because she never really got any room."

A winner of 18 of her 37 starts, Melody Belle would become New Zealand's leading winner of Group One races if she was to win on Saturday, going one up on champion mare Sunline.

Avantage

Avantage, a winner of eight Group One races herself, is shooting for a fifth straight victory at elite level after success in her past four in the Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie, the Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham, the BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa and the El Cheapo Cars WFA Classic (1600m) at Otaki.

"She's in really good form. But there was no Melody Belle in this race when she won last year," Richards said.

"We'll just get through Saturday first but we have Australia in the back of our mind for Melody Belle, a farewell tour through Queensland. 

"Avantage has had a busy season but we could see her at Te Aroha (for the Gr.1 Fiber Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes over 1600m on April 10) back to a mile with a month between runs or we could see her in the Coolmore Legacy (Gr.1, 1600) at Randwick."

Richards also has the first two favourites in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) for two-year-olds, bookmakers installing last-start Gr.3 Waikato Stud Slipper (1200m) winner Sword Of State as a $1.75 top elect ahead of his Karaka Million 2YO (1200m)-winning stablemate On The Bubbles, second in the Slipper, at $3.20.

"They have both come through that race great - really pleased with both of them," Richards said.

"They are both good-doing horses with good constitutions and good temperaments. Sword Of State has a wonderful attitude for a colt, one of his best attributes.

"On The Bubbles is going to be much improved back at Ellerslie right-handed. He's unbeaten there and does seem to enjoy racing at Ellerslie. It's going to be a really interesting contest.

"We're going into it with two very good chances and I wouldn't swap my two with any others."

Richards will round out his Group One assault on Ellerslie with In A Twinkling contesting the Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m).

"He had a good hit-out on Tuesday and it's been three weeks into the Cup from the Avondale Cup. He does need to improve a bit - I was a bit disappointed with him last time but it's hard to fault what he's doing (in trackwork) at home."

Richards will also have his eye on Australia with Savabeel mare Probabeel, the second favourite for the $A5 million All-Star Mile (1600m) at Moonee Valley after her last-start win in the Gr.1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

"She's in great shape. We're really pleased with her," Richards said.

"She's been to Moonee Valley for the Cox Plate (Gr.1, 2040m) and the 1600m is her optimum distance. She goes into a $5 million race as a really good chance which is really exciting." - NZ Racing Desk

 

 

Advertisment
More Reading...
More Stakes Success for Air Assault
Group I placed last season in the SA Derby, talented gelding Air Assault kept the winning run going for Victoria Derby winning trainer Andrew Gluyas when taking out the Listed SAJC John Letts Cup (1800m) at Morphettville on Melbourne Cup Day.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 5
Here is the full list of 145 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
$6million Frankel Mare Tops Fasig -Tipton November Sale
The Fasig-Tipton November Sale, billed as the World’s Premier Breeding Stock Event, was held Monday at the company’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. Twenty-five offerings sold for $1,000,000 or more, led by a trio of Grade/Group 1 winners with international appeal.
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.
Sires With Winners - Monday November 4
Here is the full list of 21 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.