Ocean Park (foaled 13 October 2008) is a

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

. His biggest win came on 27 October 2012 in the Group 1

Cox Plate The W. S. Cox Plate is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over under Weight for age conditions, over a distance of 2040 metres (approximately 1m 2f), that is held by the Moonee Valley Racing Club at Moo ...

Moonee Valley racecourse Moonee Valley Racecourse, currently marketed as The Valley, is a horse-racing track in Moonee Ponds, Melbourne, Victoria Australia. History Moonee Valley Racecourse was established in 1883 by William Samuel (W.S.) Cox, who purchased a farm ...

. He was bred by Trelawney Stud. After a promising 3 year old year, Ocean Park rose to prominence in the spring of his four-year-old season, winning 4 Group 1s in a row before running 3rd in the McKinnon Stakes. His tactical speed, ability to relax mid race and powerful sustained finishing burst are considered his greatest assets. He added to an impressive list of Group 1 performing progeny of his sire Thorn Park that includes 2011 New Zealand Derby winner

Jimmy Choux Jimmy Choux (foaled 10 October 2007) is a New Zealand thoroughbred racehorse. On 5 March 2011, he won the 136th running of the New Zealand Derby. In doing so, he became the first horse since Surfers Paradise in 1990 to win both the New Zealand ...

. He was trained by Gary Hennessy in

Matamata Matamata () is a town in Waikato, New Zealand. It is located near the base of the Kaimai Ranges, and is a thriving farming area known for Thoroughbred horse breeding and training pursuits. It is part of the Matamata-Piako District, which takes ...

. Before he won Group one races, his owners suggested Ocean Park should be sent to Hong Kong, but his trainer/part owner wanted to keep training him in New Zealand.

Spring 2011 - Autumn 2012

Ocean Park debuted at the Poverty Bay turf club for a fast-finishing win, albeit in a dead heat. He followed this up with another impressive win at Ellerslie. However, a true display of his ability came at his third start in the Great Northern Guineas at Ellerslie. After being held up for a run well into the straight, Ocean Park finally got clear and stormed home impressively to only miss by a head against strong competition. He started a short-priced favourite at his next start in the Wellington Guineas and won easily, being eased down by rider Chad Ormsby in the final stages. Perhaps his biggest weakness was his lack of ability to fend off runners that closed from behind. This was displayed at his next start in the Waikato Guineas, where subsequent

New Zealand Derby The New Zealand Derby is a set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run over a distance of 2,400 metres (12 furlongs) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held on the first Saturday in March, as the opening day o ...

winner

Silent Achiever Silent Achiever (foaled 18 September 2008) is a champion New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse. On 3 March 2012, she won the 137th running of the New Zealand Derby. She was the first filly to win the race since 1993, and only the fourth in the las ...

came from behind late and won narrowly. He was scratched from the

due to a wet track and was instead sent to Sydney where he finished a disappointing 8th in the

Randwick Guineas The Randwick Guineas is an Australian Turf Club Group One Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run at set weights over a distance of 1600 metres at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia in March as a part of the Sydney Autumn Carnival ...

behind Mosheen on a wet track and an unlucky 2nd in the

Rosehill Guineas The Rosehill Guineas is an Australian Turf Club Group One Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds at set weights run over a distance of 2000 metres at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia annually in March. Total prize money for t ...

behind Laser Hawk. His three-year-old season was ended on a sour note as he was scratched from the AJC Derby due to a wrenched fetlock joint.

Spring 2012

Ocean Park resumed in the Makfi Challenge Stakes at Hastings. After being ridden quietly back in the field, rider

Lisa Allpress Lisa Joy Allpress (née Mumby; born 1974 or 1975) is a New Zealand jockey. She was the first female jockey in New Zealand to reach 1000 wins. Allpress was born in 1974 or 1975. She was apprenticed to trainer Kevin Gray at Waverley. Her first r ...

found a gap in the straight and he burst through for an emphatic win. He was then taken across to Australia on a preparation geared towards the Cox Plate. After scoring an impressive win in the Underwood Stakes, he followed up with a narrow win in the Caulfield Stakes. Sent out third favourite in the W. S. Cox Plate, rider

Glen Boss Glen Boss (born 21 August 1969 in Caboolture) is an Australian jockey, who is best known for riding Makybe Diva to victory in three consecutive Melbourne Cups: 2003, 2004, and 2005. He has also been successful in four Cox Plates: Makybe Diva in ...

ensured that Ocean Park was ridden back in the field so that he had a 'bunny' to chase. After coming wide around the field on the home turn he sprinted after

All Too Hard All Too Hard (foaled 21 September 2009) is a four time Group 1 winning Australian thoroughbred racehorse. He is also a successful breeding stallion having sired numerous stakes winners. Background Bred by Gilgai Farm, All Too Hard is a half b ...

and got up for a narrow win. His spring campaign was rounded out with a close third behind Alcopop and Glass Harmonium in the

LKS Mackinnon Stakes The VRC Champions Stakes, registered as the ''LKS Mackinnon Stakes'', is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run under Weight for Age conditions over a distance of 2000 metres at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia o ...

Autumn 2013

Ocean Park resumed at Otaki racecourse on 24 February 2013 for a close, but slightly disappointing fourth behind Nashville, a horse he had soundly defeated in the Wellington Guineas a year earlier. Ocean Park went on to win the 2013

New Zealand Stakes The New Zealand Stakes currently run as the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes is a Group One thoroughbred horse race in New Zealand. It is run at Ellerslie racecourse on the final day of the Auckland Cup Week Carnival in March for a stake of $200 ...

, before finishing his racing career with a disappointing 12th in the 2013

Dubai Duty Free Dubai Duty Free (DDF) is the company responsible for the duty-free operations at Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport. Founded in December 1983, DDF recorded first-year sales of US$20 million and has grown into one ...

Stud career

Ocean Park currently serves as a stallion at New Zealand's Waikato Stud. His service fee was $30,000 in 2017 and 2023. Ocean Park has gone on to sire Group/Grade 1 winners in New Zealand and Australia.

Notable progeny

''c =

colt Colt(s) or COLT may refer to: *Colt (horse), an intact (uncastrated) male horse under four years of age People * Colt (given name) *Colt (surname) Places *Colt, Arkansas, United States *Colt, Louisiana, an unincorporated community, United States ...

, f =

filly A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, t ...

'', g =

gelding A gelding is a castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. Castration, as well as the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male equine to be calmer and better-behaved, makin ...

References