Champion jockey Joao Moreira wasn’t the only one aboard when Country Melody destroyed his rivals in the American Club Challenge Cup (1000m) at Happy Valley.

Country Melody (Written Tycoon) is a Rushton Park graduate from the 2013 Inglis Premier and studmaster David Johnson was also riding him to victory back home in Tatura.  The gelding made $40,000 at Oaklands Junction and has earned AUD 740,000 in his first year in Hong Kong.

Rushton Park will capitalize on that profitable start with his half-brother by Bel Esprit (Lot 505) at the 2016 Inglis Melbourne Premier.  Their dam Chimerique (Choisir) is a half-sister to G1 Victoria Oaks winner Bulla Borghese.

Country Melody is trained by John Size for the HK Country Club Racing Syndicate.  “I knocked him back because of space restrictions but Robert Smerdon rang insisted I take him,” Size recalled.  “Turns out he was right.”

Size took a different tack with Country Melody in the American Challenge Cup.  The Rushton Park import raced exclusively at Sha Tin before switching to Happy Valley with a performance that hinted he can go further up the ratings this season without surprising.

Country Melody’s half-brother is one of the highlights among Rushton Park’s 22 yearlings for the 2016 Inglis Melbourne Premier.  Johnson and his wife Kayley have continued to support Written Tycoon and there are another two colts and filly by him in their draft.

The Woodside Park stallion is in career-best form and Rushton Park’s first colt from Gu Li (Lot 35) is a half-brother to G1 NZ Oaks winner Jungle Rocket.  The filly out of Lustre (Lot 163) is a half-sister to Moonee Valley stakes winner Glows.

COUNTRY MELODY