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Richards commits to start in Group 1 with star mare before she sells on May 25.

The Doomben Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) on May 22 remains set as the final start for champion mare Melody Belle (Commands) following her midfield finish in the A D Hollindale Stakes (Gr 2, 1800m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Trainer Jamie Richards said the 14-time Group 1 winner ran well when finishing tenth in the Group 2, but that she was unlucky not to finish closer to impressive winner Zaaki (Leroidesanimaux).

"I thought she ended up in quite a nice spot from a tricky barrier and looked like she was starting to work home and was going to run fifth or sixth," Richards said.

"But then she got checked halfway down (the straight) and that was pretty much game over."

Richards said Melody Belle would need to improve but he was confident she would be a more formidable challenger in the Doomben Cup.

"We've got a lot of work to do but we can have her better," he said.

"We had a bit of trouble with a couple of little niggling things during the week, which meant she hasn't been at her best, but I'm sure we can get things right in the next couple of weeks."

Despite his confidence, Richards said it was hard not to be impressed by the Annabel Neasham-trained European import Zaaki, who won easily by two and a half lengths.

"She'd need to improve a bit to beat the winner. He looked to be a very promising horse, no doubt about that," Richards said.

"But I'm confident we can get her going better than she did on the weekend."

Richards said his team wouldn't have any other runners at the Queensland Carnival and there would be few running back home over winter.

"Winter's a time that we like to spend educating our young horses, so we'll put a fair bit into them in the next couple of months," he said.