Popular Maryborough breeder-owners and harness racing benefactors Len and Irene Parker are in high spirits after winning races with three of their team this season.

The trio are boom pacer Major Moth, talented three-year-old Meteor Moth and promising youngster Ideal Moth. Another of their team, Archie Moth, has finished second on three occasions.

“I’ve got five horses in work and I’ve got four nice ones and one bad one,” Len Parker said.

“Major Moth is obviously the best I’ve ever had.”

A Breeders Crown champion at two and a Victoria Derby heat winner at three, the Art Major entire has been hampered by leg problems throughout his career, restricting him to only 30 starts over five seasons.

He has won 15 races with six placings for $335,549 in stakes.

Following an eight-week stint of rehabilitation and pre-training with Parker’s good friend Darren Weir, the former thoroughbred trainer, Major Moth resumed for Sydney horseman Jason Grimson at Albion Park in August.

“He’s only had two starts with Grimson and he’s won them both and at this stage he seems perfectly sound,” Len said.

“Grimson told me he is going to keep aiming high with him as long as he stands up. He’s the early favourite for the Len Smith Mile and is one of the pre-post favourites for the NZ Cup, Victoria Cup and the Inter Dominion.”     

The siblings Meteor Moth, trained by Emma Stewart, and Ideal Moth (Damian Wilson) are both undefeated so far.

Major Moth, Meteor Moth and Ideal Moth all trace back to the Kudos mare Moon Moth.

“I originally raced Moon Moth on lease from Geoff Tweddle of Cloverdale Stud. She had three starts for two wins and a third and then we talked Geoff into selling it to us.”

“She had some good scalps to her name when she was young. She beat Alphalite in two of their only three clashes,” Len recalled.

“She beat a good field in a four-year-old Invitation at the Melbourne Showgrounds including Welvan and Chapel Elect, but pulled up with a broken pedal bone.”

Moon Moth has been the source of numerous winners for Len and Irene over more than 50 years.

The list includes the Vicbred two-year-old champion and Tatlow Memorial winner Lively Moth, Flying Moth (Vic. Youthful and Vicbred Platinum), Mighty Moth, Majestic Moth, Macy Lila, Lilla and Zippy Zillionaire.

 

Other smart performers bought and raced by the Parker’s have been Reba Rajah, the winner of the Kilmore and Mildura Cups, the Bohemia Crystal Free-for-all and a heat of the Inter Dominion, the Tontine victor Al’s Rocket  and the Vicbred and Tatlow winning trotter Maori Demon.

Sundon’s Courage, who won the Aldebaran Park Trotters Free-for-all at Melton, has been mixing racing and breeding successfully

Vicbred First Win Bonuses paid out by Harness Racing Victoria in July amounted to $363,000. A total of $2.3 million has been distributed for the season

The three-year-old All Blazing Guns, a son of the former top racemare Pacific Playgirl, has notched back-to-back successes at Bendigo and Cranbourne. The gelding was bred and is raced by Melbourne breeders Tony and Pam Coniglio