Star New Zealander Melody Belle has been confirmed for a trip to Melbourne where she will have the chance to avenge her Mackinnon Stakes defeat.
The mare posted Group One win number 12 in the Livamol Classic at Hawkes Bay on Saturday to earn her passage across the Tasman.
Managing owner John Galvin said Melody Belle would be given the chance to go one better in the $2 million Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on November 7 after beating all but international Magic Wand in the corresponding race 12 months ago.
“When we weighed it up, 2000 metres at Flemington, $2 million race, hit-and-run raid, just go there and come back, it seemed the perfect race for her,” Galvin told the NZ Racing Desk.
“She was desperately unlucky last year in the same event and she is probably going better now than she was then.”
Melody Belle will join her Jamie Richards-trained stablemate Probabeel in Melbourne.
The Epsom Handicap winner is in the southern capital for a Cox Plate tilt and has drawn ideally in barrier two for Saturday’s weight-for-age feature.
