Shergar The IRA Back Story

The Daily Mirror and Guardian hailed Shergar as the best of the Century, clearly a superhorse. He followed his win in the Darby with an equally impressive score in the Irish Derby, winning "in an exercise canter," to complete a racing rarity, the English and Irish Derby Double. Next came a win in the King George Stakes. With four races at 1 ½ miles, he was now going to be asked to go a mile & 7/8, in the St. Leger. He would be meeting other good three-year-olds he had defeated before. They had skipped a few races in between. Shergar, on the other hand, danced all the dances. This was to be his last time to the post. Defeated, he retired to his birthplace at Ballymany Stud, in County Kildare, Ireland. Two years later, on February 8, 1983, he made headlines again. The unthinkable happened. He was abducted for a two million pound ransom. Reports of Shergar's disappearance were now being aired on radio and television, uniting the nation in shock and disbelief. The rumor mill operated at full capacity. Police continuously chased phantom sightings, looking in numerous stables and cow barns, unearthing any fresh plot of ground. After two weeks, the lead detective admitted they had no significant clues. Little did they know, there was a better chance of finding America's infamous Jimmy Hoffa.