AUTHAAL won the Irish St Leger 30 years ago and in so doing made racing headlines, and not for the first time. A member of the only crop sired by the ill-fated Shergar, the classic winning colt set a then foal and yearling record price when sold for 325,000gns and 3.1 million guineas, both times at Goffs.

Bred by Robert Sangster’s Swettenham Stud and partners in Kentucky, the only progeny of the brilliant Shergar sold as a foal in 1977. Authaal came up from Tommy Stack’s Thomastown Castle Stud and was bought by the BBA’s Joss Collins on behalf of a group of Americans. Collins outbid Philip Myerscough and Bobby Barry for the colt whose dam Galletto sold moments earlier, in foal to Alydar, for 500,000gns. The price for Authaal as a foal set a new European high.