Unforeseen circumstances have resulted in a late southern shift for first season sire Pure Champion.

The G1 Windsor Park Plate winner has been relocated to South Canterbury’s Willow Glen Stud after his initial retirement to Totara Park Stud at Whangarei.

“We had committed to another horse but our deal fell through after Totara Park had secured Pure Champion,” said Barbara Cooney, who runs Willow Glen with her husband Mike.

“Totara Park’s Dirk Oberholster has sadly suffered a health issue and they have decided to reassess their lives so we have taken Pure Champion with their continued full support.

“We will stand him in conjunction with them and the O’Sullivan family, who will donate their share of the stallion fees to cancer research.”

An Irish-bred son of the English 2000 Guineas winner and G1 producer Footstepsinthesand, Pure Champion is out of the Danehill mare Castara Beach.

His pedigree also features the champion English miler Nannina, Hong Kong Horse of the Year Indigenous, Sydney Cup winner Jessicabeel, Adelaide Cup winner Water Boatman and Fenomeno, who headed the extended 2013 world thoroughbred rankings, as well as successful sire Sea Anchor.

Pure Champion began his career in his native Ireland where he won the G3 Solonaway Stakes, the Listed Ruby Stakes and ran Group One fourths in the Dewhurst Stakes and the Irish 2000 Guineas.

He continued his career in Hong Kong where he was the multiple stakes winner of the January Cup and the Centenary Vase and also runner-up to Military Attack in the G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup.

Pure Champion subsequently raced six times in New Zealand as an eight-year-old and he won the G1 Windsor Park Plate, the G3 Manawatu Challenge Stakes and placed in the G1 Makfi Challenge Stakes for trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott.

“He was a high-class racehorse, tough and sound, and he’s got a pedigree to suit our mares,” Cooney said.

Pure Champion’s fee has yet to be announced by Willow Glen, where he will stand alongside Minstrel Court and Saperavi.