Guineas victim who went on to become a living legend

STAND up close to the oil painting that is Green Desert and you’ll see the epitome of a Group 1 sprinter in all his glory. Neat, uncomplicated and possessed of blistering speed, he scored two wins at the highest level in a memorable three-year-old campaign, with his success in the 1986 Haydock Sprint Cup proving the precursor to a stud career that would leave a huge imprint on the future of the race.

So influential has he been with his four winning sons – from Sheikh Albadou via Tamarisk and Invincible Spirit to Markab – it’s hard to imagine the prestigious event without him. But step back a few paces and view the bigger picture, and you’ll see a top-class miler whose alternative career path was blocked only by one of the great talents of the age.