One of the most famous unsolved mysteries in the world of horse racing involves the theft of a champion racehorse called Shergar. On February 8, 1983, Shergar was stolen from the Ballymany Stud farm in County Kildare, Ireland. The theft of the racing legend not only shocked the horse racing world, but it also has remained an unsolved case to this day.
Shergar’s Rise to Fame
Shergar was a bay colt and was foaled in 1978 at the Ballymany Stud farm in Ireland. He was bred by the Aga Khan IV and went on to become one of the most successful racehorses in the history of British and Irish horse racing.
Shergar won his first race at the Curragh in Ireland in June 1980. He won the race by nine lengths, setting a new track record. He went on to win all of his five remaining races that year, including the Irish 2000 Guineas Stakes and the Derby Stakes at Epsom. He won by a record 10 lengths, the largest winning margin for a Derby Stakes for more than a century.
Shergar was named the European Horse of the Year in 1981 and was an early favorite to win the 1982 Epsom Derby. Unfortunately, he had to be pulled out of the race after suffering an injury. After his injury, Shergar was retired from racing and was sent back to the Ballymany Stud farm to be used as a stud horse.
The Great Theft
On the evening of February 8, 1983, a group of masked men arrived at the Ballymany Stud farm in County Kildare, Ireland. The men were armed with guns and they held up the stud farm staff, demanding that they turn over Shergar. The men took the horse and drove off in a van.
The theft of Shergar was reported to the police, but the case quickly went cold. No ransom demands were ever made and no trace of the horse was ever found. It was assumed that the horse had been stolen by the Irish Republican Army (IRA), but the organization denied any involvement.
Speculations and Theories
Since the theft of Shergar, there have been many speculations and theories as to what happened to the horse. One of the most popular theories is that the horse was killed shortly after he was stolen and that his body was disposed of somewhere in Ireland.
Another theory is that Shergar was smuggled out of Ireland and taken to another country. It is believed that the horse may have been sold to a wealthy individual in another country, such as the Middle East.
Conclusion
The theft of Shergar remains one of the most famous unsolved mysteries in the world of horse racing. Despite extensive investigations, there has been no trace of the horse and the mystery of what happened to Shergar remains unsolved to this day.