Lambton and Offen's Thoroughbred Style (1987) covers the stud farms across Great Britain, Ireland, France and the United States that have played a pivotal role in creating the modern Thoroughbred. One criticism I have of the book is that it ignores what was then the burgeoning growth of the breed in Japan as well as very well-developed breeding operations in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Perhaps Lambton and Offen saw the Thoroughbred in the British Commonwealth as an extension of what was created in the Home countries. Such an explanation fails to justify ignoring the Japanese Thoroughbred which is the strain of the breed that I think will dominate this century of racing. Regardless, the book provides comprehensive coverage of very high performing farms and is a good starting point for understanding farm management and pedigrees.

Notably, the section dealing with the Irish Thoroughbred notes even during Ireland's Dark Ages there was more horse racing on the island than in the entire country of continental Europe. These horses were likely members of the Hobby, a precursor breed to the Thoroughbred. At the time of writing, Thoroughbred breeding was Ireland's fourth largest industry and though the relative share of Ireland's economic output the industry is responsible for has fallen sharply, the most important farms have more or less remained constant.

Lambton and Offen define the foundational Irish farms as:

• Airlie Stud – continues to be operated by the Rogers family.
• Ardenode and Ragusa Studs – Ardenode is now owned by Sean Mulryan of Ballymore, the property development company, and is more of a private farm. Ragusa is no longer an independent entity having been purchased by Godolphin in 1989.
• Ballylinch Stud – purchased by John Malone in 2014, known as 'The Cable Cowboy'.
• Coolmore Stud – the world's most successful Thoroughbred farm. Established by Robert Sangster, Vincent O'Brien and John Magnier. Now exclusively run by the Magnier family.
• Gilltown Stud – the Aga Khan's stud farm in Ireland.
• The Irish National Stud – the state stud farm.
• Kildangan Stud – the center of Godolphin's Irish operation, purchased in 1986.
• Mount Coote Stud – the pre-eminent boarding farm in Ireland meaning no stallions stand here, run by the Lillingston family since inception.

The treatment of Coolmore is naturally brief, and very well covered elsewhere particularly in Robert Sangster's biography. The striking thing is that John Magnier is barely mentioned and isn't even named in the one photo he's in, see below:

Perhaps in 1987, the continued success of Coolmore seemed by no means certain underscoring the near impossibility of a farm following a stallion like Sadler's Wells with one like Galileo.