Champion Japanese sire Deep Impact won't cover any more mares for the remainder of this year.

Japanese media have reported that Shadai Stallion Station, who stand the son of Sunday Silence, have announced the horse is suffering from neck pain but emphasised that his condition is not life-threatening.

Deep Impact had been serving mares since the start of the Northern Hemisphere breeding season in February but stopped last month. He will be given the rest of the year to improve his physical condition ahead of next year's breeding season.

Deep Impact entered stud duties in 2007 and has been the leading sire in Japan for the past seven years. He is expected to have around 20 foals from this year's crop.

Deep Impact was a champion on the racetrack and has continued his success in the breeding barn. He won 12 of 14 starts and suffered his first defeat when runner-up in the 2005 Arima Kinen (2500m).

His racetrack career ended on a sour note, finishing third in the 2006 Prix de I'Arc de Triomphe (2400m) but later disqualified for returning a positive swab to the banned substance Ipratropium, which is generally used to treat respiratory problems.

Deep Impact sired three classic winners across different countries last year with Saxon Warrior (2000 Guineas winner), Study Of Man (Prix du Jockey Club) and Wagnerian (Japanese Derby). His crop of three-year-olds during 2018 included six individual Group 1 winners. Racing.Com

Image sahracing.com from 2006 visit to Japan