First published 1994
Robert Sangster stands at the Keeneland Sales in Kentucky, surrounded by the world's most expensive thoroughbred racehorses. Each animal represents millions of pounds and the pinnacle of 1980s business excess. Sangster leads a team of elite Irish racing experts in an audacious plan to dominate the global bloodstock market. They bid aggressively at the world's most prestigious horse auction, riding the wave of economic euphoria that defined the decade. The thoroughbred industry has exploded into a high-stakes gamble where fortunes rise and fall on breeding decisions. Sangster's group believes they can corner the market on racing's finest bloodlines. But their breathtaking bid to control the sport of kings carries enormous risk. When the inevitable crash comes, the consequences ripple through racing circles worldwide. This is the story of ambition, money, and the dangerous allure of believing you can master an industry built on both breeding science and pure chance.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, business, economics, sports, horse-racing
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: high-stakes, power-struggle
Setting: Kentucky, Keeneland
Period: 1980s
Paperback · HarperCollins