The thoroughbred race horse, See the Stars, has retired and there’s a book out to celebrate his achievements called One Blazing Summer.

Apparently, the real test of such a horse is in its three-year-old year and See the Stars was spectacular in his. He raced every month for six months and won the lot, including the triple: the Guineas, the Derby and the Arc.

He has plenty more racing in him but retirement is the call from management. Why, when there are winners’ cheques on the table? Stud value. He’s 85,000 euros a ‘go’ and he will ‘go’ a hundred times a year!

Ignore morals and ethics for a moment and indulge a silly but interesting thought: what if that human stars put themselves out to stud? What would Pele, Tiger or Lance exact? Forget sport and think about a Bill Clinton or a Steve Jobs gene pool up for sale. Really crazy only-in-America stuff, eh?