Mach Shard enjoying retirement

This time last year saw the biggest upset in the history of the Taylor Mile, when aged harness racing pacer Mach Shard (Mach Three) won the Group One Taylor Mile against all odds. He ran the trip in 1-53.9, paying $155.20 and beating the likes of Don’t Stop Dreaming and Merlin.

And to prove it was no fluke, he won the Group One New Zealand Messenger a week later. The wins also elevated the career of young driver Crystal Hackett.

He had a further ten starts and then, without fuss or fanfare the gelding slipped quietly away into retirement.

“He was a cool horse for the stable that’s for sure. He’s out doing shows and stuff like that so he’s doing well,” said Scott Phelan, who trained the gelding with Barry Purdon.

Mach Shard was sold by his breeders Mark and Debbie Smith at the PGG Wrightson Sale Of The Stars in Christchurch with Purdon paying $200,000.

He raced as a two year old when he was good enough to win the Group One Young Guns Cardigan Bay Stakes.

The gelding had success in Australia under the guidance of Luke McCarthy and his feature win there was in the Group One Ainsworth FFA at Menangle when he paced the 2400 metre mobile in 2-48.8 a mile rate of 1-53.2.

Mach Shard won twenty of his one hundred and seventeen starts and banked $843,291 for his connections.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink