3 minute read

Exactly one month ago prize stallion Zazou was removed from his stable during the nigh

And since then nothing has been heard about his whereabouts.

Zazou, by Shamardal out of the Lomitas mare Zaza Top, earned more than US$1 million during his racing career which included trips to Singapore, Hong Kong and Dubai. In Hong Kong he ran third in the International Hong Kong Cup, in Singapore 4th in the Cup and in Dubai 7th in the Dubai World Cup won by Monterosso.

Since 2012 the horse has been owned by Ramzan Kadyriv, the President of Chechnia, who owns around 128 horses.  In 2014 following Russia's invasion of the Crimea the European Union slapped sanctions on him and said that any prize money earned by his horses had to be used for the benefit of the horses

So Zazou went to the Czech Republic to stand at the Darhorse Stud at Krabćice, about 70kms to the north of Prague.  He proved a very popular stallion for breeders in the Czech Republic and nearby countries.

Then last year two Russian-speaking men turned up at the stables and said they had orders to collect Zazou and one other horse Mikael Glinka.  The stud manager showed them the gate as if this had been legitimate he would have been informed.  The men were then seen parked in their van not far from the gates to the property for 5 days.

Fast forward to the night of 3-4 March when someone or some people returned and broke into the stables, broke the chains securing the door to Zazou's stable, took the horse and set off into the night and have not been seen since.

The Czech police who launched an immediate investigation into the kidnapping have not provided any further information. 

Kadyrov is a known ally and supporter of Putin and has been angry with the media for not taking this matter seriously enough.   He says the horse is worth at least US$10 million although other sources put the value at about half that figure.

While there are similarities to the Shergar case, that has been shown to be a case where the IRA was trying to raise money which came to nothing as the horse was injured and had to be put down.