MONTJEU died in March 2012, and what a loss the Coolmore sire was to the breeding industry. He had just turned 16 at the time.

The best of his generation in Europe at three and four, Montjeu (Sadler’s Wells) was a classic winner in France and Ireland, rounded off his three-year-old season with victory in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and added three more Group 1 wins to his roll of honour at four, taking the Tattersalls Gold Cup in Ireland, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in England, and the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in France.