Windsor Park Stud has announced its champion sire Thorn Park has been withdrawn from service.

Thorn Park (Spinning World) captured the NZ sires’ premiership in 2010-11 when he wrested the title from fellow Windsor Park Stud champion Volksraad (Green Desert).

His headline acts that season included Champion 3YO Jimmy Choux who won the NZ Derby and NZ 2000 Guineas together with the Rosehill Guineas in Australia.  He also sired the G1 winners Veyron (Easter Hcp) and The Party Stand (New Zealand Stakes).

Thorn Park sustained a punctured sole to a hind foot recently with a resulting infection giving rise to secondary issues including laminitis in his other hind foot.  While the recuperation period for Thorn Park will be regularly assessed, Windsor Park believes it’s possible he may need to be rested from stud duties for the remainder of the breeding season.

His current star Ocean Park is challenging for Cox Plate favouritism after a last-start victory in the G1 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield.

Thorn Park was scheduled to cover a top-class book of mares this season and some of them have already been successfully tested in foal.

THORN PARK