Five subfertile horses who shone on the racecourse second time around

With news that Barney Roy is on the verge of making a return to the track after an aborted stint as a stallion at Dalham Hall Stud, we look at five other subfertile horses who took advantage of a second chance to shine in training

Al Kazeem

The undisputed comeback king, Al Kazeem was retired to stand at the Royal Studs after winning the Tattersalls Gold Cup, Prince of Wales's Stakes and Eclipse but was found to be subfertile and was the subject of an insurance claim.

Bought back by his owner-breeder John Deer, the son of Dubawi was returned to original trainer Roger Charlton, who expertly brought him back to peak form and managed to get further victories in the Winter Hill Stakes, Prix d'Harcourt and the Tattersalls Gold Cup out of him. The few progeny he did manage to sire in his first stint at stud include this month's exciting John Porter Stakes second Aspetar.

George Washington

'Gorgeous George', the enigmatic champion two-year-old and 2,000 Guineas and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes hero, returned to Aidan O'Brien after proving infertile at Coolmore.

Although he failed to win again, he showed he had retained some of his talent – and unpredictability – by finishing a close fourth in the Queen Anne Stakes and third in the Eclipse and Prix du Moulin before meeting an untimely end in the Monmouth Park slop for the Breeders' Cup Classic. His sole offspring was the Listed-placed Date With Destiny, subsequently dam of Royal Whip Stakes winner Beautiful Morning.

Kingsgate Native

The Nunthorpe and Golden Jubilee Stakes winner may not have fulfilled his brief after being bought by Cheveley Park Stud – proving infertile in a brief spell at the Newmarket operation – but he gave his second owners plenty of enjoyment after he was returned to the track.

He went on to win six more races, including two editions of the Temple Stakes, a King George Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and even a conditions race at the age of 11, and now resides at the British Racing School in Newmarket, helping the next generation of jockeys learn their craft.

Reckless Abandon

The Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes winner was a serious loss for breeders after proving subfertile after one season at Kildangan Stud, possessing as he did that precious class and precocity and also a strong pedigree. His small sole crop has given more cause for regret, as it includes the Listed winner Shepherd Market and smart handicapper Mr Reckless.

Reckless Abandon failed to win in a brief return to the track but did manage two Listed placings, and is now a polo pony living near Ascot, where he scored in the Norfolk Stakes as a youngster.

Caspar Netscher

Yeomanstown Stud would have had breeders knocking them over to use this winner of the Gimcrack, Mill Reef Stakes and German 2,000 Guineas with a good pedigree when he retired in 2013, but unfortunately he was another whose fertility was not up to scratch.

Placed with David Simcock after his return to the track, he was a neck second in the Lennox Stakes on his first start back in business and maintained a decent level of form for three seasons, his finest hour coming in a smooth victory in the Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine in Canada.