FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Quiz about 1981 Epsom Derby Winner Shergar
Quiz about 1981 Epsom Derby Winner Shergar

1981 Epsom Derby Winner: Shergar Quiz


The 1981 Epsom Derby winner became international news when he was kidnapped in 1983. How well do you know this champion racehorse?

A multiple-choice quiz by wildginge. Estimated time: 4 mins.
  1. Home
  2. »
  3. Quizzes
  4. »
  5. Sports Trivia
  6. »
  7. Horse Racing
  8. »
  9. UK

Author
wildginge
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
295,970
Updated
Jul 23 22
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
392
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. Who was the trainer of Shergar? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Which jockey was Shergar's regular rider, and was just 19 when riding him to victory at Epsom? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Which wealthy gentleman was the breeder and owner of Shergar? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. After winning his first race, Shergar suffered defeat in the Futurity at Doncaster in his second start. Which horse beat him? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. By what record margin did Shergar win the 1981 Epsom Derby? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Shergar was a well-fancied favourite when winning the Epsom Derby but at what odds did he win? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Shergar's sire, Great Nephew, was also responsible for another Epsom Derby winner. In which year did this happen and what was the name of the horse? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. When Shergar won the 1981 Irish Derby his regular jockey was unable to take the ride due to suspension. Which jockey was on board as the horse strolled to a four-lengths victory?
Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Shergar's final race came in the St Leger of 1981 where he was beaten at odds of 4/9, finishing a very disappointing fourth. Which horse won the race? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Shergar was kidnapped on 8th February 1983 and never seen again. This caused quite a frenzy for his offspring at auction. Which of his progeny sold for a then European record of 3.1 million Irish guineas in October 1984? Hint



(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

arrow Select a User ID:
arrow Choose a Password:
arrow Your Email:




Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Who was the trainer of Shergar?

Answer: Michael Stoute

Shergar was the first Derby winner for Sir Michael Stoute - his subsequent winners include Shahrastani (1986), Kris Kin (2003), and North Light (2004).

Henry Cecil has trained the Derby winner four times, while Vincent O'Brien achieved the feat on six occasions. Jenny Pitman concentrated on National Hunt (jump) horses, rather than the flat, training the winner of the Grand National twice.
2. Which jockey was Shergar's regular rider, and was just 19 when riding him to victory at Epsom?

Answer: Walter Swinburn

Swinburn was having his first ride in the race when cruising to victory on the first of his three Derby winners. He also rode Shahrastani (1986) and Lammtarra (1995).

Steve Cauthen was only 18 when winning the US Triple Crown aboard Affirmed, in 1978. He later won two Epsom Derbies. Fallon has three victories to his name, while Dettori landed his first, at the 15th attempt, when winning on Authorized in 2007.
3. Which wealthy gentleman was the breeder and owner of Shergar?

Answer: HH Aga Khan IV

Along with Michael Stoute (the trainer) and Walter Swinburn (the jockey), the Aga Khan celebrated his first Epson Derby winner in 1981. He again teamed up with the pair when Shahrastani was successful in 1986. Kahyasi (1988) and Sinndar (2000) also provided him with wins. His grandfather, the third Aga Khan, managed to own the winner of the great race five times.

Robert Sangster owned two Derby winners during his life. Khalid Abdullah has also triumphed twice. Despite spending millions on the best-bred horses since the early 1980s Sheikh Mohammed did not register a Derby winner until 2008 when New Approach won, although the horse is actually owned by his wife, Princess Haya of Jordan.
4. After winning his first race, Shergar suffered defeat in the Futurity at Doncaster in his second start. Which horse beat him?

Answer: Beldale Flutter

The Futurity (now the Racing Post Trophy) has a history of producing champion racehorses and 1980 was no exception. Shergar came second beaten by Beldale Flutter, who didn't quite fulfil his promise but did win what became the International Stakes at York, as a three year old.

Glint of Gold came 2nd behind Shergar at Epsom. Nijinsky was the last winner of the Triple Crown in 1970. Dawn Run is the only horse to have won both the Champion Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup.
5. By what record margin did Shergar win the 1981 Epsom Derby?

Answer: 10 lengths

He was so far clear that the rider of runner-up Glint of Gold, John Mathias, actually thought he had won the race - 'I told myself I'd achieved my life's ambition. Only then did I discover there was another horse on the horizon.' The previous record was 8 lengths by Manna in the 1925 running.
6. Shergar was a well-fancied favourite when winning the Epsom Derby but at what odds did he win?

Answer: 10/11

He won as odds-on favourite, a rare feat.
7. Shergar's sire, Great Nephew, was also responsible for another Epsom Derby winner. In which year did this happen and what was the name of the horse?

Answer: 1975 Grundy

Grundy won the famous 'race of the century' when beating Bustino, and shattering the track record, in the 1975 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. Golden Fleece was sired by Nijinsky. Generous was sired by Nijinsky's son, Caerleon. Grittar actually won the Grand National in 1982, not the Derby.
8. When Shergar won the 1981 Irish Derby his regular jockey was unable to take the ride due to suspension. Which jockey was on board as the horse strolled to a four-lengths victory?

Answer: Lester Piggott

With Walter Swinburn absent, Lester Piggott landed the last of his five Irish Derbies. Piggott is possibly best associated with riding the great Nijinsky, winner of the English Triple Crown in 1970. Although Nijinsky won the Irish Derby, Piggott was not on board as Liam Ward rode the horse in all his races in Ireland.

Carson has two Irish Derbies to his credit, Cochrane one. Shoemaker won four Kentucky Derbies and came within inches of winning the 1977 Epsom Derby before being deprived by The Minstrel, ridden by Piggott.
9. Shergar's final race came in the St Leger of 1981 where he was beaten at odds of 4/9, finishing a very disappointing fourth. Which horse won the race?

Answer: Cut Above

Two races at Doncaster and two defeats - the only two defeats of his career (he had 8 career starts for 6 wins). Shergar was subsequently syndicated for £10M and retired to stud. Glint of Gold finished 2nd, and Bustomi 3rd. Diminuendo was also beaten at odds-on, and ridden by Walter Swinburn, in the 1988 St Leger.

After training the runner-up on five occasions, Stoute finally broke his St Leger hoodoo when winning the 2008 running with Conduit. Neither Swinburn or the Aga Khan has ever had a St Leger winner.
10. Shergar was kidnapped on 8th February 1983 and never seen again. This caused quite a frenzy for his offspring at auction. Which of his progeny sold for a then European record of 3.1 million Irish guineas in October 1984?

Answer: Authaal

Authaal never quite lived up to his price tag but he did win the 1986 Irish St Leger. Shergar was not too successful with his only crop of foals but Maysoon was placed in both the 1000 Guineas and Oaks. She was trained by Michael Stoute, as were Dolka and Danishgar, the latter pair proving largely disappointing.
Source: Author wildginge

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
10/12/2024, Copyright 2024 FunTrivia, Inc. - Report an Error / Contact Us