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14-time Group 1 winner gives birth to first foal.
Former champion New Zealand mare Melody Belle is now a mum, having given birth to a filly in Victoria over the weekend.
The 14-time Group 1 winner, who sits behind only Winx and Black Caviar on the list of elite-level wins for a mare, safely produced a daughter of Written Tycoon on Sunday.
The filly was born at Yulong Stud, near Nagambie, which is where Melody Belle – a daughter of Commands and the Iffraaj mare Meleka Belle – has resided since being sold for $2.6 million by Magic Millions at the conclusion of her racing days.
"We are absolutely thrilled with the first foal of Melody Belle," Yulong's chief operating officer Sam Fairgray said.
"You could not get a better first foal. A super job by the mare."
Melody Belle retired after a fifth placing in last year's Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m), the final run of a 41-start career that produced 19 wins and a tick over $4m in earnings.
Her crowning glory in Australia came in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) in 2019, backing up seven days later to finish second to star UK mare Magic Wand in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m).
Thirteen of her Group 1 wins came in New Zealand, including three wins in the 1600m Windsor Park Plate and two wins in the Tarzino Trophy (1400m), Bonecrusher Stakes (2000m) and Livamol Spring Classic (2040m).
She was crowned the New Zealand Racehorse of the year in both 2019 and 2020.