Dates, venues, and new sponsor for Sires Stakes’ three-year-old series

Australasia’s leading breeding operation, Woodlands Stud, has signed with the New Zealand Sires’ Stakes Board to be the exclusive sponsor of the prestigious 3YO Colts and Geldings Series.

“We are very excited about our new partnership with the New Zealand Sires Stakes Board in the upcoming season. As always, we remain very focused on supporting the industry that supports us, so we jumped at the opportunity to be involved," said Dr Andrew Grierson, principal of Woodlands Stud.

Dates and venues for the five heats have been decided, with the heats at Addington, Cambridge, Alexandra Park and Ashburton between October 8 – October 26. (see below for details).

The Woodlands Stud Sires’ Stakes Final (Group 1) will be held on New Zealand Cup day, Tuesday November 10.

 The new sponsorship deal will also see the inclusion of the popular Harness 7000, a race for 3YO pacers whose service fee was $7,000 or less. This will be held at Addington next February.

Woodlands Stud stallions have sired the winners of eight of the last ten Sires’ Stakes Finals including the mighty Lazarus sired by the incomparable Bettor’s Delight.

Martin Pierson, of the New Zealand Sires’ Stakes Board, said “We are delighted to have Woodlands Stud as our exclusive sponsor for this marquee series for the next three seasons.”

In 1992 Dr Charles Roberts and his veterinary partner Dr Andrew Grierson established Woodlands Stud. It was named after the original farm it’s sited on in Clevedon that dates back to the 1960s.

In the first years of the operation Woodlands stood stallions on lease with mixed success. In 2006 Charles and Andrew took a new direction, securing sires by purchasing the southern hemisphere rights. Among their many success stories were Bettor’s Delight and then in 2007, American Ideal as the stud established itself as the pre-eminent semen base in the southern hemisphere.

“Bettor’s Delight in particular has been a game changer in the breeding shed,” said Pierson.

Woodlands' mandate is to provide Australasian Breeders with affordable world class stallions, so in addition to these two history-making stallions they are also currently home to Downbytheseaside, What The Hill, Lather Up, Sweet Lou, and Speeding Spur.

The 2020/21 N.Z. Sires Stakes 3YO Colts & Gelding Series will consist of:

Heat 1 : Addington, Thursday, October 8 2020

Heat 2 : Cambridge, Thursday, October 15 2020

Heat 3 : Addington, Friday, October 16 2020

Heat 4 : Alexandra Park, Friday, October 23, 2020

Heat 5 : Ashburton, Monday, October 26, 2020

Group One Final : Addington (NZ Cup day), Tuesday, November 10 2020

Silver : Addington, Friday, November 27 2020

Harness 7000 : Addington, Friday, February 12 2021

For more information contact:
Martin Pierson
NZ Sires Stakes Executive
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 03 964 1186 MOBILE 027 4711 081