WS NEWS | Woodlands Weanling Sale Recap
/WOODLANDS WEANLING RECAP
Woodlands Stud shines again at the 2025 National Standardbred Weanling Sale
With 30 lots going through the ring at the 2025 National Standardbred Weanling Sale held at Karaka on Thursday 26 June, Woodlands Stud has again shown how strong their brand is by selling 29 weanlings by the end of the day, boasting an impressive 96% clearance rate.
From start to finish the sales ring was hot from the first lot going through and set the tone for a strong sale throughout the day. There may have been slightly less horses on offer throughout the day but the average increased by 25% and median by 54% which is very positive with the middle market being a huge benefactor.
What started as a whisper at the start of the week certainly come to fruition with the Pacemakers Syndicate purchasing 11 lots being the leading buyer. Some of the largest thoroughbred studs and pin hookers over a lunch in Sydney thought with the first ‘dual code’ sale lets dip our toes in standardbred pin hooking market, purchase a weanling and sell again at the 2026 National Standardbred Yearling Sale. The catch, $1000 buy in from each team, sell them unreserved at the yearling sales and for the biggest percentage return on investment the first-place team shall receive 70% of the pool, second 20% and third 10% and boy did it lead to an exciting sale. Some buyers took this very seriously and others who certainly let us know they weren’t exactly sure what they were looking for, but time will only tell who does the best come the 2026 Yearling Sale.
FUN FACT – out of the 2025 National Weanling Sales Catalogue 35 horses were sired by Woodlands Stud Stallions with 34 being sold which equates to a 97% clearance rate.
Photo from Equifocus
STALLION SALE HIGHLIGHTS
BETTOR'S DELIGHT
Three lots went through the ring for The King – Bettor’s Delight and they did not disappoint.
Lot 1039, a sales topping filly out of the Group 1 winning mare Running On Faith was purchased for $38,000 by Cameron Grant (as agent) heading down to Christchurch, closely followed was the second most expensive lot which was the last weanling sales lot to go through the ring, lot 1079 another filly out of Georgia Brooke purchased for $34,000 by Logan Boersma/Andrew Fitzgerald. Once again Bettors Delight showed that despite his age, he leads in all facets of our industry averaging $30,667 being leading sire once again.
DOWNBYTHESEASIDE
Carrying on from a strong 2025 National Standardbred Yearling Sale with multiple six figure horses sold, the leading son of Somebeachsomewhere, sold 9 from 10 lots averaging $21,167 with some impressive types.
Lot 1015, a colt out of Maddisons Delight sold for $30,000 to Dawe Contracting Ltd, who has had plenty of success with progeny of Downbytheseaside already. This colt was a great type and being a half-brother to multiple derby winner American Dealer who has now banked in excess of $800,000 and full brother Where The Boys Are who has won 4 already and gone 1.53 sets this horse up for a bright future.
Mark Jones purchased a stunning filly Lot 1062 out of the Macca Lodge draft for $24,000 which was the highest price filly apart from the Bettor’s Delight progeny and great to see clients and the Southland Stud have some great results by supporting Woodlands Stud sires.
SWEET LOU
Nine lots were offered by one of Australasia’s most promising sires Sweet Lou and nine went to new homes giving him a 100% clearance rate.
Lot 1077, his well related daughter out of Fancy Dress was purchased by Mr J deJong for $21,000. This filly has great residual by being a ¾ in blood to the Group 1 winning Western Australian Derby winner Christopher Dance who was sold out of the Logan Hollis/Shane Robertson stable after strong juvenile performances and a second in the Group 1 Northern Derby and now banked over $200,000 and what makes that even sweeter was that he was a weanling sales graduate himself purchased for $8000 from Woodlands Stud. Pacemakers syndicate had no issue with well bred, great looking Sweet Lou fillies purchasing two for $17,500 and $17,000 respectively.
Lot 1051 out of Victors Delight who herself was a 14 race winner and Group 1 placed caught the eye of the pin hookers, followed up by Lot 1026 the stunning filly out of the Western Terror mare Our Melody who has had 3 foals to race 3 winners as well as being closely related to the very good Group 1 winning Willow. With plenty of group success on these pages let’s hope our galloping friends find success at the National Yearling Sales.
LATHER UP
One of the most unique stories that came out of the 2025 National Standardbred Weanling Sales was Lot 1005, a daughter of Lather Up being sold to Mike O’Donnell of Fairhill Farm in Australia for $10,000. They were at the thoroughbred sales, however came to the in-house Woodlands Stud parade conducted on the Wednesday and spotted this lovely filly.
What resonated most with them was its breeding being 3 x 3 to In The Pocket which is a trait they would breed a thoroughbred like, and furthermore In The Pocket sired the great Christian Cullen so Mike decided to have a go and purchase the filly to take back to Australia and race themselves.
Lather Up has got off to a good start in both Australia and New Zealand from limited numbers to date but once again selling at 100% clearance rate buyers certainly are happy to keep spec buying through from the results to date on track.
AMERICAN IDEAL
There were only 2 lots offered by our late, great American Ideal. Lot 1066, a standout colt out of the Bettor’s Delight mare Czanyi was purchased by Steven Reid for $18,000. This page is certainly one that has plenty of black type on it with Czanyi being a daughter of Group 1 winning mare Copper Beach who in turn left multiple Group 1 winning mare De Lovely and closely related to $2 million dollar earner Catch A Wave.
American Ideal may no longer grace us with his presence but his progeny keep punching well above their weight and astute judges of horses keep buying his progeny.
SPEEDING SPUR
Fresh off Speeding Spurs first winner to the races, Woodlands Stud offered 3 of his progeny with all 3 off to new homes. Our resident sire has had very limited opportunity in the breeding shed to date however buyers certainly had to look twice at what he had left on the ground for this sale.
Lot 1054, uniquely bred out of a What The Hill mare which is certainly a world’s first was one of the nicest looking colts in the sales and was snapped up by Mr B Taylor of Wellington. If that wasn’t enough Lot 1056, a filly out of Group 3 winning mare Whitney was also finding its way to Wellington under the same ownership group. She was purchased for $6000 and certainly ticked many boxes.
WHAT THE HILL
Four fillies and two colts were offered ranging in price and purchasers for progeny of What The Hill, all being sold keeping the trend of the day being 100% clearance for a lot of Woodlands Stud sires going.
Lot 1034, the strong colt bred 3 x 3 to Muscles Yankee out of Rave Nation was purchased by Leah Hibell for $12,000. Helping the page of this horse was certainly smart looking youngster Travelin Soldier who has won 2 and $30,000 for Tony Herlihy.
Once again Pacemakers Syndicate looked to have a crack pin hooking Lot 1021, a filly out of Mekong Princess for $3000. With half-sister Joany Baby by Speeding Spur threatening the judge in Southland for Dennis O’Connell this looks a logical pin hook and one that could see the Pacemakers make a decent % return on their investment.
