Winner: Melito (Redoute’s Choice-Cloister)
Race: AJC TJ Smith Stakes G1 (1200m)
Sold for: $600,000
Sale: 2008 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Vendor: Reavill Farm
Buyer: Gerald Ryan
Earnings: $852,150
Owner(s): Reavill Racing Syndicate (Mgr: JT Rippon)
Trainer: Gerald Ryan (Rosehill)
Blue blooded filly Melito sent her residual value soaring when she powered home to win today’s Group One TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick.
An astute $600,000 purchase by trainer Gerald Ryan at the 2008 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Melito came with a brilliant run under Blake Shinn in the straight to reel in Hot Danish and win going away.
Ryan, who’s last Group One win came with fellow Magic Millions graduate Snitzel in an Oakleigh Plate, pulled the right rein to run the three-year-old filly against some of the country’s most proven sprinters.
The Redoute’s Choice filly was also an acceptor for the previous race of the day at Group Two level.
“All thanks to John Rippon and to David on Good Friday we were looking at entries for this race,” Ryan said. “And they said just put a nomination in.”
“And they said to accept in both races and if she draws 14 in the mares race, we’ll go to the Group One,” he added.
“After she worked on Tuesday morning her usual rider said she had worked as good as ever before.”
“So by Tuesday I told John we’d have a crack at it and see what happens.”
Ryan admitted to getting in wrong last year with the filly who he’s always held such a high opinion of.
“We had it all wrong in the spring trying to make her stay,” Ryan noted.
“I said we’ll just get her back to the shorter journeys this time. She was back on top of the ground and she’s unbeaten second up.”
“I always thought she was the best three-year-old filly I’d trained. And I reckon she’s also the best two-year-old filly I’ve had.”
“But I don’t know, I might have to start reassessing soon.”
The filly will try her luck in another Group One race in a couple of weeks time.
“Her whole aim this time in has been to take on these horses in the All Aged. This race was never on the agenda.”
“So we’ll push onto the All Aged and if she can win that she’ll be right up there as one of the best we’ve had,” Ryan summed up.
Winning rider Blake Shinn said everything went to plan during the race and he was impressed with how the filly sprinted in the straight.
“Things couldn’t have turned out any better,” Shinn said. “She jumped well and the speed was pretty genuine.”
“I was always confident throughout and she travelled fantastic. It’s well documented she’s got a devastating turn of foot and when I got her out she quickened nicely.”
“Hot Danish is a hard horse to get past. But full credit to my filly – she’s top class,” Shinn summed up.
By winning the TJ Smith Stakes Melito received an invite to run in the Breeders Cup Turf event in the United States in November.
One of four winners produced by the Debutante Stakes winner Cloister, Melito is a half sister to the stakes performed juvenile Sister Declan.
Cloister, by Marauding, hails from the family of stakes winners including Zeditave, Square Deal, Alannon, Unison, Flying Alpha, Shikoba, Greys Inn, Jet Spur and this year’s Magic Millions Classic winner Military Rose.
A three time winner and seven time placegetter from just 13 starts, Melito has earned her connections an ever increasing haul of over $850,000.
Melito made history in the race by becoming the first Group One weight-for-age winner for her sire Redoute’s Choice.
Proven as the sire of a swag of Group One winners – Redoute’s Choice had only had two winner’s at racing’s elite level in open ages races – Snitzel and Allez Wonder – but there were both handicaps.
