WS NEWS | Spring Stars Shine

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Spring is always an exciting time in harness racing, both on and off the track. The days are getting longer, foals are being born, mares are being served and the stars of our sport are stepping out on their road to the big races. Last week was no exception with plenty to celebrate.

We marked our first positive on-farm scan for the season with a mare in foal to Sweet Lou, welcomed more foals to the world, and cheered home 72 Woodlands-sired winners across Australasia, 11 of them 2-year-olds and 12 bred and raised right here at Woodlands Stud.

 And while it’s Spring here, it’s Autumn in North America where some of the biggest races of the year are being staged, including the Little Brown Jug, which brought huge success for our sires last weekend.

 Read on for all the highlights.

­Video: Louprint winning the 2025 Little Brown Jug

CAN LOU BELIEVE IT

It was a massive week for Sweet Lou, with milestone moments in both hemispheres.

 He kicked off the week at Woodlands with the honour of the first positive scan of the breeding season.

 He then his progeny stamped their dominance in North America’s Little Brown Jug, one of the sport’s true crown jewels:

LOUPRINT captured both his elimination and the prestigious final - replay above.

ODDS ON OUTLIER won his elimination and was runner-up in the final.

NO TRESPASSING ran third in his elimination and a gallant fourth in the final.

 

Meanwhile, his daughter ROSE was runner-up in her Jugette elimination before running third in the final.

Closer to home, Sweet Lou’s progeny also turned heads:

 He scored four doubles across the week at Menangle on Monday, Gloucester Park and Addington on Friday and Hobart on Sunday.

 Hollywood Strip (Sportswriter dam) made headlines when he equalled the Australian 2YO Colts & Geldings record of 1:50 at Menangle in a Breeders Challenge heat. Unbeaten in three starts, he won by over 12 metres in a race where Woodlands sires filled the first five placings.

 At Menangle on Saturday night, Sweet Lou produced a treble highlighted by Our Sweet Delight (Bettor’s Delight dam) taking out the Listed Carousel Final for breeder-owner Tony Turpin, lifting his earnings beyond $105k.

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Photo: Ya Rite Darl as a weanling

SEVEN FROM TWELVE AT ADDINGTON

Friday night at Addington showcased the strength of the Woodlands stallion roster with seven of the twelve races won by their progeny, including a Woodlands-bred and raised treble:

 Follow Your Dream (BETTOR’S DELIGHT) – Breeders: Chris & Tina Barlow

One For Jay (SWEET LOU) – Breeder: Woodlands Stud

Bettor Be Quick (BETTOR'S DELIGHT) – Breeder: Pat Kubala 

Cath (SWEET LOU) – Breeder: Tony Hickman

Ya Rite Darl (WHAT THE HILL) – Breeder: Woodlands Stud

Jumal (DOWNBYTHESEASIDE) – Breeder: Dave Kennedy

Arthur Shelby (BETTOR’S DELIGHT) – Breeder: Woodlands Stud

 The standout performance came from YA RITE DARL (What The Hill) who claimed the Group 2 NZ Sires Stakes Classique by 12 and a half lengths. Purchased by Diamond Racing from our draft for just $8,000 as a weanling, she has now notched up five career wins and $139k in stakes, including two feature victories and three other black-type placings.

 Also on the card, Bettor’s Delight, Sweet Lou and Downbytheseaside each contributed winners, underscoring the depth of talent in our roster. A special mention goes to Bettor’s Delight, who once again bagged a treble on the night.

Photo: Downbytheseaside - sire of Jumal

JUMAL REMAINS UNBEATEN

One of the most exciting 3-year-olds in New Zealand right now is JUMAL, a star son of Downbytheseaside. The Southern Bred Southern Reared star extended his unbeaten streak to five with a commanding win in a heat of the Woodlands Stud 3YO Sires Stakes at Addington.

 Bred by Dave Kennedy (Beaudiene Breeding), trained by Stephen Reid and expertly driven by Samantha Ottley, Jumal now sets his sights on the Sires Stakes Final on Cup Day.

 Across the week, Downbytheseaside progeny were also to the fore with a double at Wagga (including a 2YO quinella) and success in North America, where his daughter ODDS ON CHESAPEAKE (Sweet Lou dam) won her Jugette elimination and ran a brave second in the final.

­OTHER NEWS

LATHER UP - BUILDING MOMENTUM

 Lather Up is quickly carving a reputation as a sire of precocious speed.

 Monday was his day in Australia with three winners across Globe Derby, Pinjarra and Menangle.

 Exciting 2YO filly Sparkling Sea (Somebeachsomewhere dam) won her second race from three starts at Menangle in a career best time of 1:51 in a heat of the Breeders Challenge. 

Another juvenile, Tarantula Tom (Live Or Die dam), broke through at Albion Park, bringing Lather Up’s Australasian 2YO wins for 2025 to 14.

 In North America, he continues to make an impact, with  a runners qualifying for each of the Little Brown Jug and Jugette finals. His daughter Odds On Hialeah was particularly brave, finishing fourth in the Jugette.

 

 

AMERICAN IDEAL – STILL DELIVERING

 The late American Ideal continues to produce with consistency and class, adding 18 more winners last week.

Highlights included:

 Four doubles across Australia (Globe Derby, Shepparton, Melton and Redcliffe).

 Feature race glory when his daughter Fakenit (Alta Christiano dam) won the Group 3 Daintys Daughter at Gloucester Park.

 On the leaderboard, American Ideal sits prominently in second place on the 2YO sires list for stakes earnings, with 17 individual winners of 28 races this year.

 

 

BETTOR’S DELIGHT – THE MARVEL CONTINUES

No Woodlands update would be complete without the legend himself. Bettor’s Delight delivered another 22 winners last week, including doubles at Stawell and Newcastle and the treble at Addington.

His ever consistent son Sooner The Bettor (In The Pocket dam) added to his impressive record by taking out the Spring Cup at Alexandra Park, a perfect win on his road to the NZ Cup. Despite having “only” nine wins, he’s accumulated over $620k, helped by his incredible 22 placings at the top level.

And once again, Bettor’s Delight’s dominance of the upcoming New Zealand Cup is undeniable siring six of the top 10 ranked contenders (Republican Party, Leap To Fame, Mounga, Akuta, Don’t Stop Dreaming and We Walk By Faith).

Contact our friendly team today if you have any bookings or queries regarding our sires for the 2025-26 season.

 Cameron Grant (NZ): +64 22 096 1897 or cameron@woodlandsstud.co.nz

Mark Hughes (AU): +61 451 650 707 or mark@woodlandsstud.co.nz

Office: +64 9 292 8250 or office@woodlandsstud.co.nz