Oasis Dream

Green Desert’s success story dates all the way back to 1990, when he became leading first-crop sire with a very impressive total of 15 winners from 24 runners in Britain and Ireland.

Green Desert now boasts over 40 individual Group winners, including 12 Group 1 winners. It is worth pointing out that Green Desert’s totals have been achieved almost entirely with crops which numbered 71 foals at most. His Group winners include some middle-distance performers, but Green Desert’s speciality has undoubtedly been his ability to sire top-notch winners over distances at up to a mile – including top sprinters or milers from daughters of such strong influences for stamina as Bustino, Dancing Brave and Vaguely Noble.

When Oasis Dream won the Gr.1 July Cup, he was following in the footsteps not only of Green Desert but also of Green Desert’s son Owington. However, the race which best encapsulates Green Desert’s story is the Sprint Cup at Haydock, which fell to Green Desert and his sons Sheikh Albadou, Tamarisk and Invincible Spirit.

Some of these major winners didn’t have luck on their side once they retired. Tamarisk proved largely infertile at Coolmore, Owington died in the same year that he made his debut at stud and Sheikh Albadou died at the age of 11. In the circumstances, Green Desert has done very well to become recognised as a leading sire of sires, such as Oasis Dream, a top five active European sire by stakes winners, Group winners and Group 1 winners.

The other main success stories for the Green Desert sire line have been Cape Cross - who has now found everlasting fame as the sire of the exceptional colts Sea The Stars and Golden Horn and outstanding filly Ouija Board - and Invincible Spirit. Thanks to a huge number of winners, Invincible Spirit took the title of leading first-season sire and his Group 1 winners now include Moonlight Cloud (Prix Maurice de Gheest, three times, Prix du Moulin), Charm Spirit (Prix Jean Prat, Prix du Moulin and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes), Shalaa (Prix Morny, Middle Park Stakes), and Profitable (King’s Stand Stakes) as well as his highest-rated performer (according to Timeform), Kingman.

Green Desert’s influence has also extended to the other side of the world. His fast son Shinko Forest, a Group 1 winner in Japan, sired such good performers as Genki, Close To You, Electric Beat and Moss Vale from limited opportunities in Ireland. Green Desert has also made an indelible mark on Australasian racing through his first-crop sons Desert Sun and Volksraad, who retired to stud in New Zealand.