A billionaire horse owner shared a throwback snap of new Masters 2025 champion Rory McIlroy as he wished him all the best for the tournament's final furlong.
Tom Magnier accompanied his words with a picture of the golfing great visiting his family's star Galileo from 11 years ago.
McIlroy needed all of the support from fans to come through a rollercoaster final round .
In doing so he became the first Brit to complete a career Grand Slam, adding it to the US PGA Championship, the Open Championship and the .
He had taken those three by the end of 2014 - the year he met Galileo - and is celebrating the full set of major championships at the 11th attempt.
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Tom Magnier is steeped in sporting history himself, as the son of former owner and principal figure behind Coolmore Stud, John Magnier.
Their operation has produced many of the world's best racehorses and Galileo, winner of the 2021 Derby at Epsom, went on to be a 12-time champion sire of Europe.
At the time of his death at the age of 23 in 2021, Aidan O'Brien's former trainee had produced 91 individual Group One winners, including the brilliant unbeaten colt Frankel.
He was the world's best - like Mcllroy - when the golfer enjoyed a tour of Coolmore all those years ago.
In a social media post afterwards. the 35-year-old wrote: "Had the most fascinating day at Ballydoyle and Coolmore Stud yesterday. When I die I wouldn't mind coming back as this guy!!
“He now has a pretty good life and he’s loving it," Mcllroy added via NoLayingUp.com. "I don't know how many mares he covers a day, but literally people will pay €500,000 a go to have a racehorse by Galileo. It's unbelievable the money they make out of this."
Mcllroy had a mammoth payday of his own by securing the Green Jacket, with the Masters having a first prize of .
However, due to US tax rules, the Florida resident who first became number one aged 22 will be left with around £1.8million.
"I would say it was 14 years in the making," said an emotional McIlroy, overcoming some near-misses to finally achieve the result he wanted.
"I started to wonder if it would ever be my time. The last 10 years coming with the burden of Grand Slam on my shoulders and trying to achieve that.
"I am so proud to be able to call myself a Masters champion."
