By Tayler Strong
Mossdale Conner, winner of the group one Taylor Mile and 12 other races in New Zealand, has been sold to the United States and leaves NZ this week.
“It wasn’t an easy decision,” said his owner-breeder Archie Affleck disclosing the sale. Mossdale Conner is the best horse bred and raced by Affleck in 30 years in the Standardbred business. Mossdale Conner, now a seven-year-old, has taken the semi-retired Riversdale (Southland) farmer and his wife, Margaret throughout New Zealand and Australia to see the Bettor’s Delight – Mossdale Kara gelding race.
Affleck rated the best of Mossdale Conner’s 13 wins as the 2015 Taylor Mile for four and five-year-olds at Alexandra Park. Mossdale Conner raced 1.51.7, a NZ record, for the 1700m(mobile). Driven by Maurice McKendry, he was 8/7 in the betting but won by a length from the favourite Border Control. Tiger Tara was fourth and Sky Major eighth.
Mossdale Conner (Ricky May) had won the Green Mile on the grass at Methven four months earlier in 1.59.3.
Mossdale Conner delivered for the Affleck’s in their home province with his win in the $40,000 Northern Southland Cup at Invercargill 12 months ago. Last month he won the Roxburgh Cup on a slushy track after adding to his 40m handicap at the start. Affleck had a host of family members on hand to share the occasion.
Trained at Woodend Beach by Greg and Nina Hope, Mossdale Conner amassed $461,714 in stakes from his 13 wins, 14 seconds, 13 thirds and 14 fourths from 73 starts. He had some notable minor placings: a third in a Harness Jewels at four; a third to Arden Rooney and Smolda in the 2015 NZ Cup; a second to Tiger Tara in the 2015 NZ Free-For- All; a third to Lennytheshark and Smolda in the 2016 Victoria Cup and a fourth in the 2015 Auckland Trotting Cup.
Affleck has had disappointment recently with an embryo transplant from Mossdale Kara failing to hold. She is now 14 and has not produced a foal since Mossdale Rose in 2013. The Hope-trained Mossdale Rose, a sister to Mossdale Conner, has won twice and placed four times from six starts. Mossdale Kara has also left the winners Mossdale Major, Mossdale Flynn and Mossdale Sue from a total of six foals. Mossdale Kara qualified but did not race. The daughter of In The Pocket is a granddaughter of Keyali, who won seven races for Affleck and Charlie Smaill in the late 1980s when trained by Ernie Lee at Wyndham
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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