Ryan Moore and Shergar will take their rightful places among the immortals of British horse racing

The extraordinary jockey and the unforgettable 1981 Derby winner will be inducted into the British Racing Hall of Fame during Champions Day on October 17 at Ascot. Moore boasts more than 3,400 victories, while Shergar still holds the record for the largest winning margin at Epsom

LONDON, England (Special for Turf Diario).- Two completely different eras, two extraordinary names, and the same place reserved among the immortals. Ryan Moore and Shergar will be the new inductees into the British Racing Hall of Fame during a ceremony to be held on October 17 at Ascot, on British Champions Day.

The election of both was unanimous and brings together one of the greatest jockeys of all time with a horse whose story transcended far beyond that unforgettable 1981 season in which he dominated his generation.

Moore reaches this recognition while still fully active and serving as first jockey to Aidan O’Brien, with whom he built much of an exceptional career.

The jockey has accumulated more than 3,400 victories around the world, and in 2024 he surpassed the milestone of 200 G1 wins across Europe, North America, and other major international stages.

Son of trainer Gary Moore, he scored his first victory in 2000, and his subsequent associations with Richard Hannonand Sir Michael Stoute ultimately propelled him into the elite.

In 2004, he reached 100 victories in a single season for the first time and passed £1,000,000 in purse earnings. He later became champion British jockey in 2006, 2008, and 2009.

His résumé features virtually everything. He has won the Epsom Derby (G1) four times, captured the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) on two occasions, and left his mark on some of the most important races on the planet, including the Japan Cup (G1) and the Melbourne Cup (G1). In the United States, his influence has been equally extraordinary, boasting 16 wins in the Breeders’ Cup.

“It is an honor to enter the British Racing Hall of Fame,” Moore stated. “I’ve been fortunate to work with brilliant people throughout my career.”

The jockey highlighted in particular the support of his family at the beginning and the confidence he received from Hannon, in addition to his long-standing partnerships with Stoute and O’Brien.

“I am particularly grateful to Sir Michael Stoute and Aidan O’Brien for the opportunities they gave me over the years. It means a lot to be recognized alongside them and other people who achieved so much within this sport.”

Shergar, Much More Than a Mystery

The induction of Shergar brings back to the forefront the story of a horse that reached legendary proportions. Bred by Aga Khan IV and conditioned by Stoute, he dominated his 1981 classic campaign in extraordinary fashion.

His most remembered performance came in the Epsom Derby (G1), where he won by no less than 10 lengths, a margin that still stands as a record for the race.

Yet Shergar was far from being defined solely by that display. He subsequently captured the Irish Derby (G1) and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1), confirming his status as a European titan.

Following a below-par performance in the St Leger (G1), he was retired and sent to stud in Ireland. His ownership was divided into 40 shares of £250,000 each, six of which were retained by his breeder, reaching a total valuation of £10,000,000. He was, at the time, the most expensive stallion in the world.

During his only season at stud, he served 44 mares at a stud fee of £80,000. Then came the event that would forever alter his story.

On February 8, 1983, armed men stole Shergar from Ballymany Stud, near The Curragh in Ireland. He was never seen again, and his remains were never found, although it is widely accepted that he was killed.

The story of the kidnapping spawned decades of investigations, books, documentaries, and dramatizations.

This year, Princess Zahra, daughter of the Aga Khan, recalled that any negotiation to pay a ransom was hampered by the need to reach an agreement among the horse’s shareholders. She also noted that her father maintained he could not hand over money if there was a possibility it would be used against human lives.

The tragedy ultimately added an almost mythical dimension to Shergar, but his induction into the Hall of Fame turns the focus back to what he did before disappearing: he was an exceptional racehorse.

Sophie Able, co-chair of the British Racing Hall of Fame panel, explained that there were no differences when it came to selecting the two new members.

“Shergar remains one of the most celebrated and iconic horses in the history of British racing, while Ryan’s extraordinary campaign and achievements in the saddle have established him as one of the great jockeys of his generation.”

On October 17, Ascot will symbolically unite two stories separated by several decades. Shergar, the star whose image crossing the wire 10 lengths clear in the Derby remains unforgettable, and Ryan Moore, a jockey who continues to add chapters to one of the most extraordinary careers of the modern era. Both, from now on, will take their definitive place among the legends of British racing.