Owned by Louis Freedman and trained by Noel Murless she won seven of her fifteen races and was regarded as the best British filly of her generation at both three and four years of age.
She was the penultimate European crop of foals sired by Primera, a stayer whose wins included the Ebor Handicap and the Ormonde Stakes, before he was exported to stand in Japan.
In the early part of 1972, the Murless stable was badly affected by an outbreak of a viral infection delaying the preparation and progress of the horses.
Attica Meli ran well on her three-year-old debut when finishing third to Miss Paris in the Fred Darling Stakes over seven furlongs at Newbury Racecourse in April but then succumbed to the virus and was off the course for three months.
In the summer of 1972 she won minor races over ten furlongs and 1+1⁄2 miles before being moved up in class for the Group One Yorkshire Oaks at York Racecourse in August.
[2] In autumn, Attica Meli was moved up in distance to contest the Park Hill Stakes over 14+1⁄2 furlongs at Doncaster Racecourse on 7 September.
In her next two race, Attica Meli finished second to Roberto in the Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs Racecourse and second to Rheingold in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.
In the race she led after half a mile but weakened quickly in the closing stages and finished fourth behind Our Mirage, Ormindo and Ballyhot.
[9] In August Attica Meli started at odds of 9/1[8] for the Geoffrey Freer Stakes over 13+1⁄2 furlongs at Newbury Racecourse, when she again faced Our Mirage, Ormindo and Ballyhot.