Shergar quickly'"; another shareholder, Lord Derby, disagreed and said "if ransom money is paid for this horse, then there is a danger of other horses being kidnapped in the years to come – and that simply cannot be tolerated". The first phone call from the thieves was on the night Shergar was stolen; Fitzgerald was not back at Ballymany by that time, and had not had the chance to tell the news of the theft to anyone. The call was to Jeremy Maxwell, a horse trainer based in Northern Ireland. The caller demanded £40,000, although this figure was later raised to
Horse racing in Ireland based in Ireland. It has been suggested that the success of Irish Thoroughbreds, both at home and abroad, is partly due to its climate and geography; the wet, temperate climate and limestone-rich soil encourages the growth of calcium-containing grass, while the mild temperatures and lack of seasonal variability allow year-round grazing. Ireland is seen by many as a "horse nation". A recurring part of Irish culture, the horse has been romanticised in art and literature for many centuries. In particular, the Thoroughbred, and horse racing in general, is seen as one of the country's main traditions: Thoroughbred breeding in Ireland