Widden Stud signals Victorian intent with Sun Stud purchase
Widden Stud’s Antony and Katie Thompson have purchased Sun Stud, further signalling their intent on a longer term investment in the Victorian bloodstock industry.
The operation, which has been operating under the Thompson family’s name in the Widden Valley in NSW for more than 150 years, set up their Widden Victoria in 2021, leasing the Riddells Creek property from Sun Stud and Antony confirmed at the farm’s Victorian stallion parade they had purchased the 425-acre agistment, which lies in the state’s Macedon Ranges.
“Widden Victoria has been operating under a lease since we moved down here three years ago and a few weeks ago we were able to finalise a purchase,” Thompson told ANZ Bloodstock News.
“This is something we are really excited by and we feel extremely lucky to say we now own this beautiful property.
“This shows our commitment to the Victorian industry and there are plenty of exciting things happening down here and we are really pleased to be a part of that in an even bigger way now.”
Before being known as Sun Stud, the property went by the name Eliza Park, having been purchased by Lee Fleming in 1997.
It has a rich history within the breeding landscape, being the farm where the great Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) was conceived, with her sire Bel Esprit (Royal Academy) having stood at Eliza Park after the operation secured a racing and breeding share in the sire in 2002.
In 2013, Fleming opted to sell Eliza Park’s operations and it was purchased by Sun International Group, who continued to stand stallions until transferring them over to Widden in 2021.
“Obviously, it has a wonderful history being the farm where Black Caviar was conceived and there have been plenty of champions produced here,” Thompson said.
Widden Victoria’s stallion roster comprises of nine stallions, headed by Group 1-producing sires in the shape of Nicconi (Bianconi), Star Witness (Starcraft), Overshare (I Am Invincible) and Gold Standard (Sebring), while they also include Russian Camelot (Camelot), Dirty Work (Written Tycoon) and Doubtland (Not A Single Doubt), who will all be represented by their first runners this season.
“To have four stallions here that have already produced Group 1 winners, which is a rare feat and then some nice young exciting stallions, including three stallions whose two-year-olds hit the track in the coming weeks, is a really exciting time,” said Thompson.
“We also have the first foals to arrive by Bruckner and obviously, the first Group 1-winning two-year-old to stand in Victoria for four years in King Colorado.
“I think we have shown commitment to the Victorian industry, it has been a big investment and we have really stumped that up now by solidifying that with a major investment in buying the farm from Sun Stud.”