Green Desert remembered

As mentioned in yesterday's EBN, I was one of the lucky ones to visit Green Desert in his final years. While some people are excited by a chance encounter with a pop star or actor, I know I'll never grow tired of meeting famous racehorses, particularly those who continue to have such an influence through the current stars of the track. 

Without Green Desert, who died on Wednesday, there would be no Golden Horn, Muhaarar or Shalaa, to name but three of his grandsons who have made such an impact on this season alone.  The morning I spent gawping at him in his vast paddock at Nunnery will long burn bright in my mind's eye. I knew then that he wouldn't be with us for much longer, and it is to the immense credit of the team at Shadwell that he lived on for another two years to the age of 32. Below is the piece in full that was written for the Racing Post shortly after that visit. He may be gone, but we will conitnue to hear plenty about Green Desert for generations of racehorses to come.

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POEMS about horses are guaranteed to bring a tear to the eye and there’s none lovelier than Philip Larkin’s At Grass, which depicts two retired racehorses out in their paddock long after the echoes of their final race call have died.

‘Almanacked their names live; they have slipped their names, and stand at ease.’

Green Desert patrols his paddock, September 2013

Larkin’s evocative words were brought to mind recently when, on a visit to Shadwell’s Nunnery Stud, an enjoyable hour was spent wandering the stallion paddocks with Ron Lott and Rachael Gowland. With no disrespect to Sheikh Hamdan’s active stallions, arguably the biggest treat was saved until last as we made our way to the bottom of the hill to pay homage to the grand old man of Shadwell, Green Desert. Now 30, the son of Danzig still has a glint in his eye which unmistakably says, ‘look but don’t touch’, and though he’s diminutive when viewed straight after the strapping Nayef, his reputation will stand tall for generations to come.

It’s no mean feat for a thoroughbred stallion still to be breathing at 30, and Green Desert was only stood down from active duty two years ago. There isn’t space here to do justice to his stallion career. In what it’s fair to call a current golden era for British sires – his own son Oasis Dream being high up in the pecking order along with stud mate Dansili, Dubawi, Pivotal, New Approach and, hopefully, Frankel to come – the pensioner still shades them all as the most influential stallion on these shores.

His reputation is earned chiefly through his stallion sons – Oasis Dream, Invincible Spirit and Cape Cross all occupy top 20 positions in Europe, and Byron has been represented by top-flight winners in the UK and America this year. In New Zealand, Volksraad was champion sire for six consecutive seasons, while Desert Sun will be best remembered for his influence in Australasia as the sire of Sunline and broodmare sire of Black Caviar.

Green Desert didn’t let the side down on one of the rare occasions that Hasili was allowed to visit anyone other than another of Danzig’s great sons, Danehill. Their liaison resulted in the dual Grade 1 winner Heat Haze, now the dam of one of the most eye-catching juveniles of the season, the recent 15-length maiden winner Radiator. Hopefully her turn to heap further glory on an already over-achieving family will come in next week’s Shadwell Fillies’ Mile.        

                         

The dark, stocky Green Desert, his coat still dappled even in his dotage, is more though than just a name on numerous catalogue pages. For many years after prized colts have left the care of racing yards, they are tended to by some of the unsung heroes of the breeding business, the stallion men. There are a few women, too, such as Yorton Farm’s admirable Lucy Dawson, but largely the role remains a male preserve.

Green Desert, age 30, September 2013

Despite the fact that Ron Lott’s eyes mist slightly when he talks about his beloved and clearly much-missed Unfuwain, he’s no softie. His years at Nunnery Stud stretch back to the days of its ownership by Sir John Musker and for nearly three decades, while other big-name stallions have come and gone, Green Desert has been a constant in his life. Ron speaks of the veteran with the wary admiration a matador might have for a bull. Dealing with stallions every day is not for the faint-hearted and respect must be earned on both sides.

“I hate the thought of anything happening to him and I’ll miss him when he’s gone because of everything he’s achieved,” says Ron.

Won’t we all, almanacked though his name may be.