Melito leads the way

A change of tactics from jockey Corey Brown has delivered Melito another Group 1 win in the $500,000 Winter Stakes over 1400m at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

It was a breakthrough win of sorts for Gerald Ryan and his team, following four consecutive Group 1 placings for Melito, which showed the horse was doing everything but winning.

Drawing barrier 13, the three-year-old filly rolled forward early and took up the running, and trainer Gerald Ryan had nothing but praise to heap on the tactical change and the winning jockey.

"It’s great when a plan works," Ryan told Sky Sports.

"We decided to ride her that way when there was not a lot of speed in the race and Corey rode her terrific."

Brown says he took Melito to the front down the back straight, and come the 300m mark, the second-placed horse in the Stradbroke was never going to let this race slip.

"I backed her right off from about the 800 metres to the home turn and I knew she would give me a good kick because she always given me a good kick," Brown said.

"It was more a matter of her not leading before and waiting for the other horses but too her credit she dug deep and won as she liked."

Melito will now have a spell, and come the Melbourne spring carnival, will join the likes of stablemates Hinchinbrook and Rothesay to give trainer Ryan plenty to plan for.