Superstar Kiwi mares rule rich racing roost
Superstar mare Melody Belle stormed home to take out her 12th Group One title at Hastings in the $250,000 Livamol Classic (2040m).
The Jamie Richards-trained six-year-old was in a class of her own for rider Troy Harris yesterday.
The Commands mare had worked sensationally during the week and she didn’t disappoint.
Settled beyond midfield, Melody Belle was still giving the leaders a sizeable start with 600m to run. Stablemates Avantage and Prise De Fer took over rounding the home bend, but Melody Belle was starting to go through her gears as she dashed to the front at the 300m with a powerful burst.
Meanwhile, Verry Elleegant has given expat-Kiwi trainer Chris Waller his first Caulfield Cup win, taking the $5.5 million 2400m race in Melbourne yesterday.
Ridden by Mark Zahra, the part-Kiwi owned mare held off the Epsom Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck, with New Zealand owned-and-trained stayer The Chosen One finishing a close third. Verry Elleegant will be one of the favourites to win the
Melbourne Cup on November 3.
Classique Legend has won the $16 million Everest at Randwick to claim the most valuable thoroughbred purse in world turf racing.
Coming from midfield under Kerrin McEvoy, Classique Legend sprinted brilliantly from midfield to salute.
Former All Blacks coach and part-owner Steve Hansen’s hope Nature Strip was seventh after burning early. Classique Legend
is trained by Les Bridge, 82, of NSW, who has also won a Melbourne Cup and a Golden Slipper.
At Ellerslie, Magic Wonder avoided some stray golfers from the infield pitch-and-putt course on her way to winning the Great Northern Steeples (6400m) for Whanganui trainer Jo Rathbone, while The Cossack narrowly won the GN Hurdles from roughie Lake Superior.