Shergar: The day the wonder horse was stolen

[cronus]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21316921

Shergar: The day the wonder horse was stolen

Shergar was the most famous, and most valuable, racehorse in the world. The big bay colt with a distinctive white blaze on its face had won the 1981 Derby by a record 10 lengths. He had followed that triumph with successes in the Irish Derby and the King George and stamped himself as one of the all-time greats.

When he retired at the end of that season, racehorse owners paid a staggering £10m for shares in his services impregnating mares.

But after just one year, fate intervened. Kidnappers armed with handguns broke into the Ballymany Stud - owned, like the horse, by the Aga Khan - and forced the head groom, James FitzGerald, to load Shergar into a trailer. FitzGerald and Shergar were then driven off in separate vehicles while FitzGerald's family were held at gunpoint to ensure silence.

FitzGerald was given a code word to be used in negotiations over a ransom, driven around for three hours and then dumped by the side of the road.


Shergar won six of his eight races
For unfathomable reasons, it would be a further five hours before the police were informed about the crime - two Irish cabinet ministers are reported to have been informed before the police. So eight hours had passed before the search for Shergar began - eight hours during which the 1981 Derby winner could have been driven miles to the north or the south or west.

There had never been a crime like it - the Irish were, and still are, huge horse lovers.

(continued)

[klr]

Shergar - I wonder whatever happened to him then?

[mistermack]

Ummmmmmmmm,
this is News and Current events.

Is Shergar still dead? Is that the news?

[cronus]

Ummmmmmmmm,
this is News and Current events.

Is Shergar still dead? Is that the news?

Well, at last we may be close to knowing where Shergar went?

[mistermack]

Well, at last we may be close to knowing where Shergar went?

My guess is Tesco burgers, or Findus lasagnes.

[JimC]

Would be very lean meat, though possibly rather tough.

Slow-cooked in a casserole with lots of garlic and red wine would be my recommendation...

[Jason]

A colt is a juvenile male horse.

[JimC]

A colt is a juvenile male horse.

Whereas occult is juvenile woo...