Sport
3 August, 2025
Mossmaid, the lucky horse
It’s often said that some people are born lucky and it seems the same can be said for horses. Eight-year-old thoroughbred mare, Mossmaid, appears to be one of those lucky horses, although her life has certainly had its ups and downs.
Life began well for the young Mossmaid when born in 2017 at one of Queensland’s premier thoroughbred studs, Cambooya’s Eureka Stud.
This famous stud offers a young foal the best start in life possible.
Mossmaid was the daughter of the highly respected sire Mossman out of the broodmare Adelaide, herself the daughter of one of Australia’s great racehorses, Choisir.
With this pedigree the young foal was a highly valued thoroughbred with expectations she would make her mark on the racetrack.
But things in the horse racing world don’t always go to plan.
After enjoying life as a weanling, where she shared her days with other well bred weanlings galloping around the lush paddocks of the Darling Downs, life takes a sudden change when they become yearlings.
Yearlings must learn how to behave on a lead in preparation for their first big moment in life when they go to auction.
At auction Mossmaid suffered her first set back
in life when the bidding for her failed to reach the reserve price of $80,000 and she returned to Eureka unsold.
Mossmaid now had a lucky break in life as the Eureka owners, the McAlpines, decided to race the young filly themselves.
Grania McAlpine formed a lady’s syndicate with Annabelle Raff and Lyle Marcus and like all race horse owners hoped for the best.
Mossmaid was then prepared for racing and sent to respected trainer Clinton Taylor.
Given her start in life, a great pedigree, enthusiastic owners and a good trainer Mossmaid looked set to begin a successful racing career.
But the racing world does not conform to logical patterns and Mossmaid never really set the world alight on the racetrack.
After twelve race starts she had the modest returns of one win and seven place results on country tracks.
The one win was at Clermont a country track a long way from Doomben and Randwick.
It was obvious Mossmaid was never going to succeed on the race track but the lucky horse had owners who cared for her and made sure she had another opportunity.
It was decided Mossmaid might be better suited as a polo mount.
Initial trials at polo did not go well but Mossmaid is the lucky horse.
Darling Downs Polo Club members, Jessica Rea and Jack Mantova decided to give Mossmaid another chance on the polo field.
Whatever qualities Jessica and Jack saw in Mossmaid she began to show improvement under Jack’s training.
Mossmaid is now one of Jack’s valued mounts in his polo string and, while no champion, she more than holds her own on the polo field.
It would seem that Mossmaid somehow knew she needed to make the most of this opportunity and she has very cleverly worked herself into the hearts of Jessica, Jack and young Lily Girle, Mossmaid’s “personal groom”.
When talking to Jessica you only have to mention the name Mossmaid to see her eyes light up and the deep affection she has for this “lucky horse”.
Mossmaid still has many years left gracing the polo fields on the Darling
Downs and when it comes time for retirement from Jack’s polo string there is no doubt Jessica and Lilly will have a nice green paddock for her to enjoy in her olden years.
Mossmaid is a great example of how off the track thoroughbred race horses are suitable for a range of equine sports such as polo but also dressage, eventing, show jumping and many other disciplines.
Not all racehorses can be a Winx or Black Caviar but Mossmaid shows that with the right training and care thoroughbreds who don’t shine on the race track can shine elsewhere.
The Darling Downs Polo Club has an award each year for off the track thoroughbreds who have excelled on the polo field.
The Pat MacGinley Memorial is a much sort after trophy by polo players for their thoroughbred polo horses.
Mossmaid has never won that trophy but she has won something far greater as she has gained an important place in Jack Mantova’s polo string and the forever love and care of Jessica and Lily.
