Big weekend for Wylie Hall family
Cape Breeders report:
Cheveley Stud’s multiple G1 winning stallion Wylie Hall gained two impressive boosts to his pedigree page over the weekend.
His close relative Melody Belle, who, like Wylie Hall, is descended from the Summertime mare Belle Time, picked up her fifth career G1 win when she won the Haunui Farm Group One WFA Classic (1600m) at Otaki on Saturday. Fresh off victory in the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa earlier in the month, the Jamie Richards-trained four-year-old was confidently expected to prevail despite being dealt a blow earlier in the week when she drew barrier thirteen in the 14-horse field.
Rider Opie Bosson followed that recipe to the letter as he positioned the mare nicely in behind the speed despite travelling wide for the better part of the first 800m.
Melody Belle was travelling easily as she moved into contention before Bosson sent her to the extreme outside to make her challenge. Hitting the front at the 300m mark the glamour mare kept up a powerful run to defeat local galloper Wyndspelle with Takanini visitor Consensus fighting bravely for third.
The four-year-old, and former New Zealand champion, has now won 10 of 19 outings, with Melody Belle’s latest G1 score taking her earnings to over $1.5 million.
Both Melody Belle (Commands) and Wylie Hall (Redoute’s Choice) were sired by sons of Danehill.
Remarkably, another horse added to the success story of the Belle Time clan when two-year-old Yourdeel (Dundeel) won the G3 Waikato Silver Slipper on Saturday.
Yourdeel, whose fourth dam Electric Belle is the granddam of Wylie Hall and his G1 winning half-brother Absolute Champion, made it two wins from just four starts when he scored a six length score in Matamata’s G3 feature this weekend.
Yourdeel, who had dead-heated for third previously in the Karaka Million 2YO, is out of the Red Ransom mare Miss Zapper – whose granddam Voltage produced the G1 winners Drum and Anamato (by Redoute’s Choice).
Wylie Hall, whose very first runner won on debut, has three lots on offer at the upcoming Cape Yearling Sale.