Shergar in fourth, and the Aga Khan took the decision to retire him to stud in Ireland. After Shergar's Epsom Derby win, the Aga Khan sold 40 shares in the horse, valuing it at £10 million. Retaining six shares, he created an owner's syndicate with the remaining 34 members. Shergar was stolen from the Aga Khan's stud farm by an armed gang on 8 February 1983. Negotiations were conducted with the thieves, but the gang broke off all communication after four days when the syndicate did not accept as true the proof provided that the horse was still alive. In 1999
Gainsborough Stud was eventually renamed Gainsborough Stud in his honour. In 1981, the stud farm was bought by Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The stud farm was operated by Maktoum's company, Gainsborough Stud Management, which maintained Gainsborough Farm in central Kentucky (bought in 1984) as well as two facilities in Ireland, Wood Park Stud in Co Meath (bought from the de Burgh family in April 1989) and Ballysheehan Stud. The international operation also stood horses in a number of stud farms in the UK, Ireland and America. In all Maktoum had over 200 horses in training under a roster of ten