Wylie Hall relative captures Empire Rose Stakes
New Zealand’s reigning Horse Of The Year Melody Belle, who hails from the family of Cheveley Stud’s promising young sire Wylie Hall, collected her tenth G1 victory when she stormed home to win the G1 TAB Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.
The five-year-old Commands mare made it four G1 wins in a row when running out a comfortable winner of the one mile feature.
A week after stablemate Te Akau Shark ran a fabulous third in the Cox Plate, trainer Jamie Richards was savouring a thumping Group I win courtesy of Melody Belle.
For a fleeting second, backers of 2018 VRC Oaks champion Aristia got their hopes up but Melody Belle was just too strong and too good as she swamped Aristia to score an effortless 1½ length win.
Melody Belle has now won 15 of 25 outings, and has won seven of her 10 G1 races in 2019!
Out of the Iffraaj mare Meleka Belle, Melody Belle traces back directly in female line to the Summertime mare Belle Time, whose numerous other high-class descendants include not only Melody Belle and Wylie Hall, but also such standout performers as Anamato (Schweppes Oaks), Dance Hero (Golden Slipper), Dealer Principal (Rosehill Guineas), Drum (Oakleigh Plate), Eskimo Queen (Queensland Oaks), and Plucky Belle (Coolmore Classic).
Dual G1 winner Wylie Hall, whose daughter Wylie’s Flame romped to a convincing win over 1900m on Friday and whose 3yo son Living Waters caught the eye when third on debut at Greyville on Friday, has two fillies on Sunday’s Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale, and two colts on offer at this month’s CTS Ready To Run Sale.
– Cape Breeders Club
– Image courtesy of https://www.justhorseracing.com.au/