Bettor’s Delight poised to reclaim sire premiership 

Less than seven months after surrendering the Australian sires’ premiership to his Woodlands’ studmate Sweet Lou, Bettor’s Delight is on the cusp of claiming a record 14th title. 

As at July 28, the Cam’s Card Shark horse has left the winners of $6,552, 710, more than $1 million ahead of the second placed Sweet Lou on the all aged list. 

Alabar Bloodstock’s flagship Art Major, who finished runner-up in 2025, is currently in third position, followed by Always B Miki, the late American Ideal and Captaintreacherous. 

Bettor’s Delight also sits atop the three-year-old sires’ list this season, while Huntsville holds a commanding lead of $140,000 over his nearest rival Art Major on the two-year-old table. 

King Of Swing is the leading first crop sire based on stakemoney and is tied with Be Happy Mach on the score of individual winners. 

The biggest contributors to Bettor’s Delight’s tally are the champion Leap To Fame ($1,103,629), The Nullarbor winner Max Delight ($583,448), the Redcliffe Cup winner Final Deadline ($198,583), the Nutrien 2YO Classic winner Kahula ($161,411) and the Queensland Oaks victor Ripples ($159,051).  

Huntsville, the premier sire of two-year-olds, has been represented by a trio of classic-winning juveniles in Birdsong (Bathurst Gold Tiara), Jacwill Kid (Bathurst Gold Crown) and Don Hunter (Australian Pacing Gold). 

In the trotting section, Majestic Son, the premier sire for the past decade, again is the clear leader for both stakemoney and individual winners. His progeny has banked $1,654,800, almost double the earnings of his closest rival Volstead. 

Majestic Son’s Alabar studmate Elite Stride leads the three-year-old sires’ premiership, due mainly to the deeds of the NSW Trotters Oaks winner Gladiatrix, while On A Streak is the leading two-year-old and first crop sire. 

Heading up Majestic Son’s progeny are the Inter Dominion champion Gus ($324,835), the cups winner Jilliby Ballerini ($200,915), the ID runner-up Gotfeelingsyouknow ($129,250) and Im Bobby ($89,325). 

Bettor’s Delight also holds a clear margin in the broodmare sires’ premiership with his daughters producing the winners of $9,567,663 more than $1.2 million ahead of second placed Art Major. 

The Woodlands Stud siring colossus is also the premier broodmare sire of two and three-year-olds in 2026. 

Among his broodmare credits are the Inter Dominion champion and Chariots of Fire winner Captain’s Mistress ($1,210,850), the Fremantle Cup winner Magnificent Storm ($455,810), the Victoria Kindergarten Series winner Cardigan Jem ($148,512), the ID minor placegetter Nyack ($143,081) and Don Hugo ($142,950). 

 

by Peter Wharton, for Harnesslink