Copper Lodge a Nursery for the Stars 

Copper Lodge, owned by popular couple Mike and Sharron Howie, is long established as a proven nursery for standardbred racing stock of the very highest calibre. 

 

Based at Serpentine, 50 kilometres south of Perth, in the heart of one of Western Australia’s foremost horse breeding regions, Copper Lodge has been a big supporter of the yearling sales for more than 20 years. 

The list of winners bred and sold off the boutique establishment include the WA Derby winner Handsandwheels, last year’s Golden Nugget winner Waverider, the WA Sales Classic winners Rock Me Over, Floewriter, Ma Petite Dame and Copper Head Lady and the Pearl victor The Miki Taker. 

“We’ve bred about 40 $100,000 winners over the years,” Mike said. 

“We used to sell five or six at the sales but the last couple of years we’ve had nine or 10.” 

Last year Copper Lodge brought out three of the five highest priced lots at the Australian Pacing Gold Perth sale including the sale topping Sweet Lou colt out of Maddy White at $135,000. 

A Bettor’s Delight half-sister to the colt is part of their nine-strong consignment at the 2026 APG sale at Magic Millions on Sunday, March 1. Listed as Lot 404, the tall filly is a full sister to Bettor Move Matty, who was placed in last year’s Golden Slipper and Westbred Finals, and the triple Group winner Star Of Diamonds and a half-sister to Floewriter. 

Lot 418, an American Ideal half-sister to Caveman ($318,000), the Westbred Classic placegetter Purest Copper and the Pearl placegetter Wheelsofortune, should attract plenty of attention from purchasers 

“She’s the only American Ideal I’ve ever bred,” Mike said. “The trainers over here love them.” 

There’s a nice Sweet Lou filly out of the Bettor’s Delight mare Niyarra, a half-sister to four $100,000 winners including Handsandwheels, Rock Me Over, Magnus Victor and Maddy White (Lot 390). 

 “She a typical Sweet Lou with a fair bit of white on her,” Mike said. 

Copper Lodge is also offering a pair of colts by the siring sensation Sweet Lou. 

Lot 351 is a flashy colt out of the 100 percent producer Maastricht, dam of the Westbred Classic, Sales Classic and Country Oaks winner Its Maa Time, while Lot 327 ranks as a half-brother to the prolific winners Walsh ($200,000) and Nevermindthechaos ($180,000). 

Another headliner from the Copper Lodge lineup is a big, athletic full brother by Downbytheseaside to the $200,000 WA Golden Nugget, Sales Classic and Pearl winner Waverider (Lot 392). 

The offering also includes two fillies by the USA and Canadian 3YO Colt of the Year Pebble Beach, namely a half-sister to the dual Group 3 winner Hengheng (Lot 435) and a filly out of Tinted Pearl (Lot 436).  

“They both look like they might get up and go early,” Mike stated. 

Lot 367, a big, strong King Of Swing half-brother to The Miki Taker and the Country Derby victors Insta Gator and Strike Team completes the Copper Lodge draft. 

“The quality of the Perth sale is outstanding. It’s probably the best catalogue of yearlings I have ever seen in WA,” Howie stated. “There are so many well bred yearlings going through the ring.” 

For further details of these or any other lots in the Perth Yearling Sale then please check out the Online Catalogue or Register as a Buyer today! 

From APG Ltd