Siblings star for Archie Affleck
By Peter Wharton
You’ve heard the old saying that a particular horse is very smart but we’ve got a better one at home….
Well, in the case of the Bettor’s Delight gelding Mossdale Terry, it certainly rings true.
The five-year-old has won five of his seven starts this year – including three at Albion Park – and has worked his way back to a NR86 mark. Last season he ran a neck second in The Bill Dixon and third in the $52,000 Peak Of The Creek Final at the Brisbane headquarters track.
Mossdale Terry
In all, Mossdale Terry has won eight races and been 15 times placed from 48 starts for $95,262 in stakes.
However, it’s his close relative Mossdale Ben that Cromwell breeder-owner Archie Affleck, the man behind the ‘Mossdale’ moniker, is singing the praises of.
A gelding by A Rocknroll Dance, Mossdale Ben captured the Group 3 $38,600 Maurice Holmes Vase at Addington and the Kurow Cup from a 20 metre handicap last season as a four-year-old.
“He was fifth past the post in the NZ Cup but had a wee bit of a gallop and was relegated to sixth,” Affleck, a retired beef and sheep farmer said.
“We’ve put him out. We think he will be a better horse next year.”
Mossdale Ben is trained by Woodend Beach couple Greg and Nina Hope, who have had a long association with Affleck.
A half-brother to Mossdale Terry in Mossdale Mac (by Mach Three) won three races in NZ, three at Albion Park and a further two in North America where he took a mile mark of 1:53 in January.
Affleck also has high hopes for a younger sister to Mossdale Terry in the four-year-old Mossdale Margaret.
“She’s taking a wee bit of time to mature but we think a lot of her. She won a couple of races on end last year,” he said.
The trio are all out of the successful Major In Art mare Mossdale Major.
Archie is now breeding from the first foal out of Mossdale Major named Mossdale Art. She won five races during her career including a stunning 1:52.5 effort over the flying mile at Winton at only her fifth start.
Mossdale Art has produced a two-year-old colt named Mossdale Frank and the yearling filly Mossdale Marie – both by American Ideal – and has been served by Sweet Lou.
The family traces back to the Gaines Minbar mare Keyali, who Affleck raced in partnership with fellow Southland farmer Charlie Smaill. She won seven races including the 1989 Winton Cup and left three winners.
“The best one we bred from this family was Mossdale Conner. He ran third in the NZ Cup and won the Taylor Mile,” Archie said.
Mossdale Conner was later sold to America and finished up with a stake tally of $484,080.
Among others from this tribe have been Mossdale Rose (NZ Southern Mares Classic), the exported Mossdale Lottee 1:51.4 ($235,947), Our Jaccka (Riverton Cup), the recent Albion Park winner Rocktagonal ($165,295) and the Tasmanian Mother of Pearl winner Mossdale Gabby.