Melody Belle's half-brother Tutukaka will target the Victoria Derby in the spring after breaking his maiden with little more than a working gallop in Saturday's Listed Tattersall's Life Member Stakes (1830m) at Eagle Farm.
Placed at his first three starts, the Tavistock gelding was reunited with Michael Cahill after James McDonald, who was forced to return to Sydney due to Covid restrictions.
A race traditionally run at 1400m when most recently known as the Winning Edge Stakes, the Tattersall's Life Member Stakes drew a disappointing acceptance of five starters.
Settling outside the leader Calpurnia, Tutukaka was never out of second gear to defeat the Maurice (JPN), gelding Balmaurice by four lengths with a further three and a quarter-length back to the Wolf Cry gelding General Wolffe in third.
Runner-up at his first two starts at Hastings and the Sunshine Coast, Tutukaka came to the race off a third in the Listed The Phoenix at Eagle Farm, won by Volcanic Rock.
The half-brother to 14-time Group One winner Melody Belle was purchased by his trainer Tony Pike for $250,000 out of Haunui Farm draft at the 2020 NZB Yearling Sale at Karaka.
Stable representative Chris McNab said they went to the race with a plan to ride Tutukaka like the best horse in the race.
"He relaxed beautifully. I said to Michael before the race that Tony rang me to say to take bad luck out of the equation and race outside the leader," McNab said.
"This is the race he came here for, so we couldn't be happier.
"He will fly him back home on Tuesday week.
"Tony doesn't miss anything. He had this race in mind, then head to Melbourne, so we are on track."
Tutukaka becomes the third winner from five to race out of the Iffraaj mare Meleka Belle a descendent of New Zealand's prolific "Belle" family.
The Written Tycoon Syndicate purchased her record-breaking daughter Melody Belle for $2,600,000 at the recent National broodmare Sale.
Bred and raced by Marie Leicester, Meleka Belle was the 15th and final named foal from the Sir Tristram mare Empress Belle.
Meleka Belle has a yearling filly by Snitzel named My Annie Belle and was covered by Pierro last spring.
Tutukaka becomes the 31st stakes-winner for Cambridge Stud's deceased Tavistock, who has two Victoria Derby winners on the honour roll, the 2015 winner Tarzino and last year's hero Johnny Get Angry.
