Racing: James McDonald plans to spoil Melody Belle's farewell party

Melody Belle tackles a high-class field in her final start. Photo / Photosport

While almost everybody in New Zealand racing is hoping for a Melody Belle miracle in Brisbane today, our most famous racing export isn't feeling quite so parochial.

Champion expat jockey James McDonald would be satisfied with seeing Melody Belle finish second to his ride Zaaki in her final race, the A$700,000 Doomben Cup.

McDonald rode Melody Belle two starts ago and is close friends of her connections, but his job is to beat her with the heavily-backed Cup favourite.

Zaaki was brilliant when effortlessly beating many in today's field, including Melody Belle, in the Hollindale Stakes on the Gold Coast two weeks ago, and even with the addition of Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet and All-Star Mile winner Mugatoo, is $2.50 to repeat that win today.

In a field that mirrors a Cox Plate more than a near-winter Queensland Group 1, Melody Belle finds herself $15 in her final race before being sold at public auction on Tuesday, destined for a broodmare career.

"She has been a wonderful mare and I'm glad I got to ride her a couple of starts ago because she has been great for New Zealand racing," says McDonald, who was last week inducted into the New Zealand Hall of Fame.

"But as good as she has been, this is a tough field and my horse [Zaaki] has to be hard to beat.

"Not many horses win good races quite as easily as he did last start."

A former good UK galloper, Zaaki has yet to win over 2000m but the way he jogged home over 1800m last start suggests that won't be an issue.

Still, the class of Sir Dragonet is beyond question and his superstar rider Glen Boss is also going into today's feature event confident.

What does that all mean for Melody Belle and the large contingent of owners who have flown to Queensland to support and ultimately farewell her?

As great a mare as she has been winning 14 Group 1 races, only one of those has been in Australia and even that was in a race restricted to mares.

Even at her career peak she may have struggled to win today's race and for her to come from midfield or beyond to storm past this class of rival really would be a racing fairytale.

Closer to home, the jumps racing season starts to get serious at Te Rapa today with the Waikato Hurdles and Steeples, with Tommyra (Race 2, No 1) and It's A Wonder (Race 5, No 2) trying to complete historic doubles. The pair won the Hurdles and Steeplechase last year, but because of the Covid-delayed programming, the 2020 editions of the race were this season so they are both trying to win the features twice in the same season.

While not huge on numbers, both races boost class, particularly the steeplechase in which It's A Wonder and Mesmerize could dominate.