Free service leads to new Albion Park star

Rugged staying mare Post Painter, who has won three consecutive races at Albion Park in the space of a month, is the result of a free service to triple New Zealand Cup hero Terror To Love.

Luke Sutherland, the Christchurch-born, now Brisbane-based breeder and owner of the five-year-old mare, takes up the story.

“Gavin Smith loaned me the mare Hanover Glory to breed from. I had won a free service to Terror To Love with Katamach at Rangiora and we got Post Painter,” Sutherland said.
“She’s the first horse I ever bred.”

Post Painter is the ninth and final foal of Hanover Glory, an unraced Badlands Hanover mare from the celebrated Topsy tribe. Hanover Glory produced seven winners — five of them breaking two minutes — including the good Gloucester Park winner Questionable Gesture, NSW provincial winners Reverse Psychology and God Of Thunder, and April Rose, the dam of the 2024 North Island Breeders Stakes winner Boudica.

Post Painter is both the richest and fastest performer produced by Hanover Glory.

The mare began her racing career with Loburn horseman Robbie Close, winning at Addington and Kaikoura as a three-year-old.

“Robbie is my best mate and he did a very good job with her,” Luke said.

“He was very careful where he placed her.”

After crossing the Tasman last May, Post Painter won three races, including two at Albion Park, for Michael Brennan. She was subsequently spelled before joining the Gemma Hewitt stable in early November.

Since then, she has won three races and finished placed twice from just five starts, recording winning mile rates of 1:51.4, 1:52.5 and 1:52.7 — all achieved after sitting parked throughout.

“Gemma Hewitt and Brendan Barnes both think very highly of her, as did Michael Brennan,” Luke said.

“We’ll be targeting some mares’ races in Sydney and Brisbane with her over the next few months.”

Post Painter’s most recent success completed the second leg of a notable two-State double for Sutherland. Joan’s Rising Star, a Vincent mare in which he holds a share, overcame a torrid run to win at Menangle in a fresh lifetime mark of 1:51.3.

Sutherland, who currently works as a stablehand for the Hewitt–Barnes training partnership, is also breeding from three exceptionally well-bred mares, either for himself or in partnership.

They include Rocknroll Mama, a $110,000-winning half-sister to West Australian Oaks winner Major Mama; Just One More, a Majestic Son mare closely related to Redcliffe Trotters Cup winner Izarra; and Star In The Future, a half-sister to NZ, Albion Park and North American winner Slip The Hundy.

“Rocknroll Mama has a Sweet Lou colt on the ground and is in foal to Huntsville. Just One More has an Aldebaran Eagle filly foal, and Star In The Future has an American Ideal colt foal and is in foal to U S Captain,” Sutherland said.

“Just One More and Star In The Future are with Andrew Fitzgerald at Ohoka, while Rocknroll Mama is with me in Brisbane.”