Kiwi filly Melody Belle dominates pre-post betting for the Group 1 $600,000 BMW Australia J.J. Atkins (1600m) at Doomben on Saturday even though she is not officially in the field.
Kiwi jockey Opie Bosson, above on Rosehill Guineas winner Gingetnuts, will ride Melody Belle in the J.J. Atkins at Doomben. Photo by Steve Hart.
Melody Belle heads the market order at Ladbrokes.com.au at $2.40 well ahead of her nearest two year old rival Qiji Phoenix at $6 and her owners Te Akau Racing has stipulated that they will be paying the $18,000 late nomination fee to get back into the J.J. Atkins field before the final acceptance time on Wednesday morning.
The Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards trained Meldoy Belle was in the original nominations for the J.J. Atkins but an oversight saw the Commands filly miss out on being including in the first acceptances that were taken last Wednesday.
“Unfortunately due to a communication misunderstanding around the deadline, the 1st acceptances for Shocking Luck (Qld Derby) and Melody Belle (JJ Atkins) were late.
“We will submit late nominations for both horses, who, provided all is well, are definite starters. Whilst we are disappointed, Te Akau accepts full responsibility and has rectified the matter accordingly,” Te Akau Racing tweeted.
The Matamata stable also missed the deadline for their three year old Shocking Luck to be included in the first acceptances for the Group 1 $600,000 Channel Seven Queensland Derby (2200m) also at Doomben this Saturday but Te Akau Racing are also going to pay the $18,000 late fee to secure his place in the field.
Melody Belle cemented favouritism for the J.J. Atkins with a super impressive win in the Group 2 $250,000 Mitavite BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm last Saturday and is the obvious horse to beat on Saturday with top Kiwi rider Opie Bosson in the saddle again.
The Commands filly lived right up to her New Zealand form which includes wins in the NZ$1m Karaka Million (1200m) at Ellerslie on January 29 and in the Group 1 NZ$225,000 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni on April 1.
Second favourite Qiji Phoenix is a three times winner in New Zealand and the Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs trained filly suffered her first defeat when seventh to Melody Belle inn the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes.
Sharing the third line of betting at $7 is the Peter and Paul Snowden trained Taking Aim and Eagle Farm trainer Paul Butterworth’s Capital Gain.
Taking Aim has only missed a place once from six starts and produced a first up win in the Group 3 $125,000 Ken Russell Memorial Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast on May 6 followed by a second to Melody Belle in the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes.
Capital Gain is also coming off a run in the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes when he made up some ground in the straight to finish fifth to Melody Belle.
Market order for the J.J. Atkins at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.40 Melody Belle, $6 Qiji Phoenix, $7 Taking Aim, Capital Gain, $11 Aloisia, $12 Tangled, $13 Sambro, $15 Pardoe, $17 Pierata, $21 Snitzepeg, $26 Lord Cecil, Magnufighter, $51 Charlie Chap, Legal Girl, $67 Eminent, Noble Hussler, $81 Mishani Bullitt, Silky Brown, $101 Up Trumpz, $201 Holbrook.
