'He was very good to me' - former trainer Paul D'Arcy and Chapel Stud's Roisin Close pay tribute to Indian Haven

Paul D'Arcy and Chapel Stud's Roisin Close have paid tribute to Indian Haven, winner of the 2003 Irish 2,000 Guineas who died this week aged 23. 

The sole Group 1 winner for D'Arcy, who retired from the training ranks in 2021, Indian Haven was described as a "wonderful horse" by his trainer, who purchased him from New England Stud for 62,000gns at Tattersalls Book 2 in 2001. 

D'Arcy said: "It's very sad news but he had a good life and that's all that matters. He had a few physical issues but you overcome them by training them; he was a wonderful horse and was very good to me. 

"He was lovely to have anything to do with, he was like a cheeky kid's pony."

Indian Haven was a two-length winner on his debut as a two-year-old at Yarmouth under John Egan, but then found the deeper waters of the Gimcrack, Champagne Stakes and Dewhurst tougher to handle.

"He was a good two-year-old, but he had issues with his feet so I couldn't really do as much with him as I wanted to that year," said D'Arcy. "He did win, but that was probably just his class that did that."

Indian Haven: "He was a good old boy"Credit: Chapel Stud

His three-year-old campaign off to a cracking start with victory in the Listed European Free Handicap, and while he finished down the field when hampered behind Refuse To Bend in the 2,000 Guineas, he had his day in the sun in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh.

Again with Egan in the saddle, the son of Indian Ridge, owned by Peter Gleeson, Julian Smith and Loz Conway, pulled a length clear of the Aidan O'Brien-trained France. 

D'Arcy said: "That day, I proved to myself that I was capable of training very good horses when I got them. I think he should have won the English 2,000 Guineas as well, he got knocked over three or four times but kept trying, so we supplemented him for the Irish 2,000 Guineas." 

Indian Haven was retired the following year after not managing to reach those Curragh heights again, taking up stallion duties at the Irish National Stud. After seven seasons there, he was relocated to Withyslade Farm in Wiltshire for the 2012 covering season. 

"I went to see him a couple of times - he moved a couple of times - and he came up to Newmarket on several occasions for stallion parades, so I saw him there too," said D'Arcy. 

"I saw a photo of him earlier this year and he still looked fabulous, he was a very good-looking horse."

Aspen Darlin: Group 3 winner and Cheveley Park Stakes second was one of Indian Haven's leading progeny

Indian Haven, a half-brother to Italian Group 1 winner and top South African stallion Count Dubois from a fine Cliveden Stud family, relocated to Close's Chapel Stud in Worcestershire for the 2021 season. The operation's owner and manager recalled the handsome chestnut with much fondness. 

Close said: "It's always tougher on older stallions when you move them, they get used to a routine and then you change everything, so I always think it takes them 12 months before you see who they are. 

"He was very straightforward, but it was always like leading a dinosaur around as he made so much noise! He was a good old boy, he loved his job and was brilliant at covering. 

"We went out on Tuesday morning and he was in his field running up and down and roaring, but then we went out a couple of hours later and sadly he had died. He had been happy and healthy and had got both of his mares in foal this year, so we couldn't ask for anything else."

As the only Classic winner at stud from the Byerley Turk line, Indian Haven's death will be mourned by all who value diversity in breeding and pedigrees, and especially by those directly involved in trying to ensure the line's survival. 

They include Suzi Prichard-Jones, who leased Indian Haven from Withyslade Stud, and is doing her best to raise awareness about the dwindling bloodline. 

Close explained: "Suzi has kept him going. She leased him from David Bond at Withyslade and has supported him with mares and has gone out and hopefully got the right mares to provide him with a successor. 

"It would be amazing if that works out; she's supported Pearl Secret before and has sent mares up to Bearstone to Dream Ahead. She's doing her best to cover all bases in anything with the Byerley Turk or the also-under-threat Godolphin Arabian line."

Prichard-Jones has yearlings and foals based at Chapel Stud with a view to racing, and Close added: "I've got two yearlings and two foals, three of those are colts. They all belong to Suzi and will go into training, 

"I think she's hoping to set up a syndicate to get people involved. It's not something she can do on her own, you need other people with the same foresight who don't want to see the line disappear completely."

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Chapel Stud announces death of Byerley Turk line sire and Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Indian Haven at 23