Shoe worn by the racehorse Green Desert.

Shoe worn by the racehorse Green Desert,
mounted on a wooden plaque with easel support and set with an engraved metal plaque, 20 by 15cm.

Provenance: The Ray Goddard Collection (lots 97 to 178). For further information on Ray Goddard and the collection see lot 144.

Green Desert was an American-bred bay colt foaled in 1983 by Danzig out of Foreign Courier (Sir Ivor). He was owned by Maktoum Al Maktoum and trained at Newmarket by Michael Stoute.

As a two-year-old the colt won the July Stakes and the Gimcrack Stakes both over 6f. He was campaigned as a guineas/mile horse at three but found great success when reverted to sprint racing winning the July Cup and the Sprint Cup at Haydock Park. He was retired at the end of the season.

At Stud, Green Desert sired many top-class sprinters including Sheikh Albadou, Owington, Tamarisk, Invincible Spirit, Desert Lord, Oasis Dream and Markab. In classic races he sired Desert Prince (Irish 2,000 Guineas) and Rose Gypsy (Poule d’Essai des Pouliches). Perhaps more surprisingly with his speed influence, Green Desert was also the sire of Collier Bay who won the Champion Hurdle and Irish Champion Hurdle.