Aga Khan IV, the 49th hereditary leader of the Nizari Ismaili Muslims, has passed away at the age of 88. While he was a prominent figure in the Muslim community, he was also known for his passion for horses, a hobby he inherited from his grandfather, Aga Khan III. For over six decades, Aga Khan IV dedicated himself to breeding horses, with significant operations in France and Ireland.
In Ireland, a notable event took place in 1983, which is why Aga Khan IV is being mentioned on this website two days after his death in Lisbon. To understand the significance of this event, we need to go back to 1981, when Aga Khan IV’s horse, Shergar, won the famous Epsom Derby, one of the most prestigious horse racing events in the world, dating back to 1780. Shergar’s victory was impressive, with a 10-length lead, the largest in the history of the competition.
The victory made Shergar an iconic figure in popular culture, and Aga Khan IV received offers of up to $40 million for the stallion. However, he decided to divide the ownership of Shergar into 40 equal parts, each worth £250,000, and kept six of them for himself. The rest were sold to investors from nine different countries. Shergar was retired to Ballymany Stud in Ireland, where he covered 44 mares in his first year and became a successful sire.
However, Shergar’s story took a dramatic turn when he was kidnapped from Ballymany Stud on February 8, 1983. A group of masked men took the stallion, and a ransom of £2 million was demanded. Despite the significant amount, Aga Khan IV and the other owners refused to pay, and the kidnappers were left with no option but to release the stallion. Unfortunately, it is believed that Shergar was shot and killed shortly after his kidnapping, and his body was buried in a remote location near the border with Northern Ireland.
The investigation into Shergar’s disappearance was unsuccessful, and the case remains a mystery to this day. The police initially suspected the Irish Republican Army (IRA) but were unable to prove their involvement. It wasn’t until 1999 that a former IRA member, Sean O’Callaghan, published an autobiography implying the IRA’s responsibility for the kidnapping.
Shergar’s legacy lives on, and he is still remembered as one of the greatest horses in racing history. His story is a testament to the enduring power of horse racing and the impact it can have on people’s lives.
“You have to take a telescope to see the rest!”
The commentator Peter Bromley, who was narrating the Derby for BBC Radio, was so impressed with Shergar’s performance that he exclaimed: “There is only one horse in the race, and you have to take a telescope to see the rest!” This comment has become famous in horse racing history and highlights the dominance of Shergar on the track.
The kidnappers’ lack of expertise with horses is believed to have contributed to Shergar’s tragic fate. The stallion was likely shot and killed shortly after his kidnapping, and his body was buried in a remote location. The exact circumstances of his death remain a mystery, but it is clear that the kidnappers were not prepared to care for a valuable and temperamental horse like Shergar.
Neptune king and a clairvoyant
During the kidnapping, the assailants forced the groom, James Fitzgerald, to get into another car and drive around the area before abandoning him on the side of the road. The kidnappers provided Fitzgerald with a keyword, “King Neptune,” which they intended to use in their negotiations with Aga Khan IV and the other owners. The police investigation that followed was unsuccessful, and the case remains a mystery to this day. The police even attempted to use a clairvoyant to locate Shergar, but this effort was unsuccessful.
An Irish ‘hero’
Shergar had become a national hero in Ireland after his victory in the Derby, and his kidnapping was met with widespread outrage. The Irish public was shocked and angered by the theft of the beloved stallion, and many people demanded that the kidnappers be brought to justice. The kidnapping of Shergar is still remembered as one of the most infamous crimes in Irish history, and the case remains a source of fascination and sadness for many people.