The Mooney's have a month to remember

In the  harness racing industry worldwide, when things are running your way then you have to enjoy it because it never lasts.

John and Rebecca Mooney know this as good as anyone which is why they are enjoying the moment so much with the run of good fortune they have been experiencing over the last three or four years.

It has not been all plain sailing over that period with several setbacks but the highlights have far outweighed the bad times and February 2016 would have to rate right up there as a time in harness racing they will never forget.

The good times started with the arrival of their brilliant Christian Cullen filly in Libertybelle Midfrew 1:53.9 ($563,147) who won the PGG Yearling Sale Pace at two before being sold for a large six figure sum to Perth where she has established herself as one of the alltime great mares in Western Australia and she is still only five years old.

Off the back of her success, John and Rebecca had high hopes for their yearling draft at Christchurch 18 months later.

They particularly liked an American Ideal filly from a full sister to Libertybelle Midfrew named Luisanabelle Midfrew but when the money offered was less than what they thought she was worth, they made a spur of the moment decision to retain her and against a lot of advice took her home from the sales.

Fast forward a couple of years and Luisanabelle Midfrew racing out of the NIgel McGrath barn snares the $150,000 PGG Yearling Sales race at Addington on February 12th to repay John and Rebecca for the faith they had showed in her.

If that hadn't made February 2016 special enough for John and Rebecca,then yesterday at the New Zealand Premier Yearling sale at Christchurch, their Bettor's Delight colt they named Lasseter surely made it a month they will never forget.

The only yearling that John and Rebecca were offering this year, Lasseter is a half brother to Luisanabelle Midfrew 1:54.1 ($127,145)

John is never afraid to give you his opinion about his bloodstock and more often than not he is spot on the money.

Prior to yesterday's sale he was adamant that Lasseter was the most correct and well proportioned horse that he and Rebecca had bred.

By the flurry of activity that exploded from the buying bench when Lasseter walked into the ring, it was obvious that they agreed with John.

When the dust had settled, Lasseter had surpassed John and Rebecca's expectations in making $130,000 on a sales day when money was tight.

Purchased by Paul Court on behalf of his leviathan Chinese owner Lin Lang, Lasseter's new home is but a few kms away from his old one in West Melton in Canterbury.

Paul Court, who is having a stellar year in his first season training on his own account, has already shown an abilty to select wisely at the yearling sales with this years group of two year olds he is racing going so well and John and Rebecca will be hoping that the luck carries on with Lasseter.

Whatever happens in the years to come with John and Rebecca and their involvement with the harness racing industry, February 2016 will always go down as a huge highlight for the popular couple and so it should.

Harnesslink Media