Former Auckland mare Moving Melody made victory in the Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) look like a walk in the park when she dictated affairs from in front to capture her first stakes victory.
The six-year-old Deep Field mare had done most of her racing from Bruce Wallace and Grant Cooksley’s Byerley Park stable before heading south to Terri Rae’s operation at Riccarton.
The remarkably consistent mare took to her new surroundings in fine style, registering a victory over 1000m followed by a brief break before finishing runner-up behind Charmrose last month.
Punters took note of that performance and backed her into a warm $2.40 favourite on Saturday, and she repaid their faith in style.
Jockey Joe Doyle sent his mount straight to the front and set up a muddling speed to suit his own purposes as none of his 10 rivals were prepared to take him on.
Travelling peaches and cream turning for home, Moving Melody kicked clear and simply cruised to the finish line, holding out Move On and Bona Sforza by just on a length at the winning post.
Rae was delighted to see the mare put some valuable black type on her record after setting that as a major goal for her.
“She wasn’t meant to lead but no one else wanted to,” Rae said. “Joe (Doyle) summed it up well, took control and set it up to suit himself.
“It is a special win as we have been planning to get black-type with her as she is a mare that definitely deserves it. Her owner is here on-course and I’m sure he has got a real kick out of it.
“We are going to take her home now and see how she comes through the race, but if she pulls up well then the Stewards’ on the last day is also in our sights as she is a good horse on a solid speed, and that is how those type of races are run.”
The Listed Lindauer Stewards Stakes (1200m) is one of the feature events on the last day of the carnival next Saturday.
Moving Melody is the 46th SW for now penisoned sire Deep Field and is the best of foru winners from well bred Redoute's Choice mare Kibira, an uinraced daughter of French stakes-winner Kerasona tracing back to a quality Aga Khan Studs female family. - LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
