Racing: Bell tolls for Te Akau star

This year's Karaka Million winner Melody Belle may miss the event at Ellerslie next month. Picture / Nick Reed

Shot at winning two Karaka Million races may be over already.

Melody Belle's shot at becoming the first horse to win two Karaka Million races may be over before it has begun.

Last season's champion two-year-old resumes at Ellerslie on Saturday in a super strong open 1200m, up against Seventh Up, Volpe Veloce, Speech Craft, Heroic Valour and even last year's somewhat forgotten Vodafone NZ Derby winner Rangipo.

Melody Belle hasn't raced since an expensive last start failure in the JJ Atkins at the Brisbane carnival on June 10, a rare glitch during one of the best juvenile seasons by a Kiwi galloper in recent years.

Not only did she pull off a huge shock winning the Karaka Million but added the group one Sires' Produce at Manawatu and the group two Sires' Produce at Eagle Farm.
Racing so deep into last season is one reason she was allowed to miss races like the 1000 Guineas and return later.

"When you race them that far into the season the only way we believed to get the best out of her again at three was to give her a long spell," says David Ellis, who runs Te Akau where Melody Belle is trained. "She had that spell and has had two trials to get her ready for this week so the boys are happy with where she is at."

Saturday's race is the natural lead-up to Melody Belle's first major goal for the season, the Sistema Railway at Ellerslie on January 1. What would be the most appealing target after that is uncertain.

The Karaka Million is joined by another $1 million race on the same January 27 card, with the Karaka Million Three-Year-Old Classic, now New Zealand's equal richest race.

While the Karaka Million has had only 10 past winners and the three-year-old race has never had anything like the same stake to act as a lure, no horse has won the juvenile dash for mega cash and returned to win the three-year-old version.

And that is still not certain to be attempted this season.

"It is one option but we could just as easily go to the Telegraph at Trentham [January 20] instead," says Ellis.

"The Three-Year-Old Classic is

obviously worth more money but long-term for her broodmare value the Telegraph would be more important. So we may not know which way she goes until after the Railway."

A Railway-Telegraph double tilt could rule last season's regular rider Opie Bosson out as Melody Belle's rider for her early targets because of her likely light weights, with Michael McNab in the saddle at 54kg on Saturday.

While turning down a $1m race at New Zealand's best track would be heartbreaking for most stables, Te Akau already have the likely early favourite for the Karaka Million Classic in Embellish.

The 2000 Guineas winner had a fortnight off after his Riccarton victory but could race twice before the Classic, which is his next big target before he heads to Australia in search of the elusive group one glory there to make him a transtasman stallion prospect.

"The Australian Guineas and then the Championships in Sydney are where we will aim him all going well," says Ellis.

Visiting Australian jockey Jake Bayliss is the new rider for Volpe Veloce as she reverts back a sprint trip on Saturday.