Victorian mare Christian Melody denied Mendelico the honor of winning successive George Johnsons when she outgunned that mare in the second feature race on the eleven-event program.
The $30,000 Georg Johnson is rated one of the three most prestigious mares’ races on the national pacing calendar.
With ace driver Jodi Quinlan in the sulky Christian Melody settled outside the leader Step Up And Play with the odds-on favourite Mendelico perfectly placed in the one-out-one-back position and Sassy Ruler on the leader’s back.
When Quinlan asked her charge for the supreme effort in the back straight the last time the mare surged past the leader and set up a handy break on the favourite.
Mendelico tried valiantly but could not find enough to haul in Christian Melody.
Quinlan said the race didn’t pan out as she expected.
“I didn’t think the local mare (Step Up and Play) would hold me out so that was the first shock but my mare settled well in the death and she sprinted well when I asked,” Quinlan said.
Christian Melody is prepared at Melton by Craig Demmler who has plans to head the mare towards the Ladyship Mile at Menangle (NSW) in April.
“The long range plan is to head her to the Ladyship Mile but there are a few mares races she can contest leading up to that race,” Quinlan said.
It was Christian Melody’s first win from eight tries this season but it took her career win tally to 17 with the almost $20,000 winner’s cheque taking her career stakes tally to almost $170,000.
Christian Melody is owned and raced by T & L Nominees Pty Ltd of which Tom Payne and his wife Lurline are managers.