Melody Belle benefits from gun ride to win 2017 Karaka Million

Melody Belle
Melody Belle causes an upset to win the 2017 Karaka Million at double-figure odds for Te Akau

AFTER getting beaten on the line in the Karaka 3YO Mile with Heroic Valour, Te Akau Stud and the training partnership of Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards returned serve in the 2017 Karaka Million.

The team lined up $32 shot Melody Belle which came into the Ellerslie feature with only moderate form, but the filly by Commands proved too strong in the concluding stages after a gun ride from Opie Bosson.

Bosson produced the two-year-old at the top of the straight and it gave a good kick to establish a two-length lead. The well-favoured Hasahalo came with a big run down the outside, but Melody Belle had already kicked clear for the win.

“I’m stoked, I put the hard yards in to ride her at 54.5kg,” Bosson said.

“It’s been an amazing job from Stephen and Jamie, they put the blinkers on here and she was sharp today.”

The filly left the barriers nicely from barrier three, which enabled Bosson to find the best position in running behind the leaders.

“She flew the gates, got straight onto the bridle, into the one-one the whole race and turning for home I couldn’t believe how well I was going,” Bosson said.

“I went past the leaders doing handstands, she won easy.”

Co-trainer Jamie Richards continued his great start at Te Akau by winning New Zealand’s richest race and he gave credit to the team behind the scenes.

“It’s a huge buzz,” Richards said. “Full credit to the boys in behind the scenes that buys the horses. David (Ellis) selected her last year, John’s (Galvin) gone on and syndicated her and the rest is history.

“The team at home have done a wonderful job with her and a lovely ride by Opie. It just shows in these big races how important a good draw can be and every horse gets their chance.”

Melody Belle finished a disappointing eighth at Ellerslie last start, but Richards wasn’t worried with that effort and the plan was to have it ready for the Karaka Million.

“Last time was about having her spot on for today,” Richards said. “She drew the outside and decided to go back.

“The blinkers went on, Opie came down and galloped her Tuesday morning and was really happy.”

Richards trains in partnership with the experienced Stephen Autridge who has scored plenty of big wins throughout this career, but not many have been worth $1 million.

“It’s very special, we’ve won plenty of group one races, but they’re not worth $1 million,” Autridge said.

“Great to win this race, great little filly and some great owners. We got the right draw, the right run and the right jockey.”

The sprinting filly was syndicated by Fortuna’s John Galvin, who has an eye for the talented juveniles on parade at the Karaka Thoroughbred Sales.

“It is special, obviously it’s a wonderful race to win,” Galvin said. “It’s the third-time we’ve had a Fortuna runner in the race – the first two ran down the track, I guess this is third time lucky.”

Co-trainer Jamie Richard also added the filly will likely head to the Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie, but is keeping his options open.

“We’ll just give her a couple of days to see how she comes through,” Richards added. “There’s the Diamond Stakes, there’s the Manawatu down the line, there’s plenty of options for a filly like this.”

Hasahalo was a well-fancied chance at $4.10 with William Hill to give trainer Stephen McKee his second consecutive win in the Karaka Million, but after getting back early in the run, the talented filly couldn’t reel in the winner and had to settle for second.

McKee was upbeat about the performance of stablemates Hasahalo and Star Treasure (fifth), with Hasohalo likely to meet Melody Belle for a rematch in the Diamond Stakes.

“The filly (Hasahalo) really rattled home, but the winners been too good at the end of the day,” McKee said.

“We probably got a little further back than we wanted when the pace went out of the race in the middle stages. I think that’s what Blake (Shinn) thought cost us a little bit, but she’s run really well and the colt has hit the line nicely too for fifth.”

The winning time wasn’t overly quick and McKee said a quicker pace would have helped Hasohalo finish over the top of them.

“1:10.09, we probably thought they’d be half a second quicker…that really would have helped our filly, but all credit to the winner,” McKee said.

“All going well, back here for the Diamond.”

The previously unbeaten Felton Road battled on well for third with race favourite Padraig making good late ground down the outside after settling back during the run.

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