Bits N Bridles

Cromwell based breeder Archie Affleck has been in the game a long time and his ‘Mossdale’ horses continue to win.

His latest winner Mossdale Frank (American Ideal) made it two from two on Sunday, leading all the way to win by a length and a half in the hands of co-trainer Ben Hope.

Mossdale Frank’s pedigree goes back to Affleck’s first winner Gaines Minbar mare Keyali which he owned with Charlie Smail. Trained by Hori Lee, her first win was at Forbury Park in January 1988.

Sunday’s win was Affleck’s eightieth. Fifty three of those winners were trained by Greg and Nina Hope and two by Greg and Ben Hope.

Mossdale Conner has been his biggest winner. His thirteen wins included the Green Mile, the Northern Southland Cup and the Group One Taylor Mile in 1-58.1; a New Zealand record that stood for nearly nine years.

Other good winners from the family have been Mossdale Ben and Mossdale Rose both of whom won eight.

Son Of The Cleaner (Love You) has been a hard horse to follow throughout his fifty five start career, but on Friday night at Alexandra Park he was on his best behaviour and took away a win for trainers Michelle Wallis and Bernie Hackett.

The trotter commenced his career with Tony Barron before heading south to Tony Stratford, then on to Lionel Dodds before the Wallis/Hackett team took him over at the beginning of this season.

He had twenty nine starts for Stratford recording three wins, a second and two thirds. His other two wins were for Michelle and Bernie and for them he’s also had three seconds.

Being out of Habibti Sadie he derived his name from the John Farnham hit ‘Sadie the Cleaning Lady.’

Impressive Winton winners Utah Jazz (Bettor’s Delight) and Partytime (Tall Dark Stranger) are likely to head to Addington rather than contest the Southern Surge. Trainer Nathan Williamson feels the conditions of the Surge don’t suit either horse.

If not sold, three year old Partytime may go to Addington for the Rising Stars which has $15,000 heats on July 31^st and August 14^th and a $30,000 final on Friday 21^st August.

Utah Jazz is earmarked to race in the feature mares racing in spring. She’s won four of her five starts and prior to Sunday’s win hadn’t raced for 424 days, so it was an excellent training effort by Williamson to win fresh up.

Forgotten pacer Wheels Of Fortune (Always B Miki) is back at the trials for new trainer Bob Butt.

The seven year old last raced more than two years ago when trained by John Hay.

He looked talented when winning four of his six starts as a three year old and ran in the 2022 New Zealand Derby won by Akuta.

As a four year old he won two of his nine starts and ran second to Mighty Looee in the 2023 $100,000 New Zealand Country Cups Final. But he failed to regain his form after that run.

Hay had him back to the trials in April and May before switching him to the Butt barn.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink