Shergar

But you, you run like Shergar.

Shergar was the winner of the 1981 Epson Derby. But he didn't just win; he left the competition standing. If horses had rear view mirrors the rest of the field would have been tiny specks in the distance. And, to add insult to injury, he made it look effortless. He was a class horse, grade a winner, sire of champions, a hero of the racing world. 


Devastatingly, on the 8th of February 1983, Shergar was stolen and never recovered. His groom and family were held at gunpoint whilst he was loaded into an unknown horse box and driven away never to be seen again. A ransom was demanded, his owners refused to pay. Nobody knows what happened to Shergar for sure. Realistically and knowing horses, I imagine he did not survive long; a thoroughbred stallion in the heat of the breeding season would be difficult and dangerous to handle, and not only that, the world was on look out for the distinctive white blaze. But I like to imagine him somewhere, physically or spiritually, using his brilliant turn of hoof to run free.