The Behan family, breeders of the brilliant chaser Altior, are appealing for information following the attempted theft of Princess Leya, a half sister to the retired champion chaser, from a farm in rural Laois, Ireland.
Paddy and Rose Behan had only recently bought back the Grade B handicap hurdle winner, who was in isolation with her colt foal by Free Eagle, when the would-be thieves struck at the farm Aug. 3 belonging to a friend of the family on the Laois-Kildare border.
The robbery was thwarted by quick-witted and sharp-eyed neighbors, who spotted an unfamiliar blue van and trailer at the entrance to the field and decided to investigate.
Rose Behan said: "We're still in shock, we can't believe that something like this would happen, especially in broad daylight. It was the middle of the day.
"We're very lucky that the neighbors were alert and noticed the unusual activity. If they hadn't, we would have lost Princess Leya and her foal."
Security measures at the field included two locked gates, with one secured by a padlock, but these proved an insufficient deterrent.
Princess Leya was unharmed in the incident but her colt foal required veterinary attention, including stitches to a leg wound. Both mother and son are now confined to stables as the foal recovers from the injury.
"We're not sure how the foal was hurt, and they have to stand in while the wound heals," Behan said. "Luckily, the vets arrived quickly and were able to stop the bleeding and stitch him.
"He's a beautiful foal, a gorgeous colt by Free Eagle, and a beautiful mover."
Princess Leya is a year older than her famous half brother Altior and won three of her 12 starts for Mags Mullins, including that Fairyhouse Grade B handicap hurdle.
She was also third in the mares' hurdle at Leopardstown's Christmas festival and in the listed Grabel Mares' Hurdle at Punchestown.
The 13-year-old daughter of Old Vic has made a bright start to her broodmare career, with her second foal, the Leading Light gelding Top Dog, winning a listed bumper at Newbury last season for Emma Lavelle and finishing third in a similar race at Ascot.
She has a 3-year-old gelding by Kingston Hill, who made €30,000 to Colin Bowe's Milestone Bloodstock at the Derby Sale in June when he was sold by Peter Nolan Bloodstock, and a 2-year-old son of Casamento, as well as the Free Eagle foal who was injured in the foiled robbery.
The family is very grateful for all the support it has received.
"We want to alert people and make them aware that this kind of thing could happen, so horse owners need to be on the lookout for any unusual activity or suspicious vehicles," Behan said.
A motive for the attempted theft has not been established and gardai are continuing to make inquiries.
The drama inevitably brings to mind the theft of Shergar in 1983, when he was taken from Ballymany Stud in County Kildare and a ransom of £2 million demanded; it was not paid and negotiations were soon broken off by the thieves.
An IRA supergrass said they stole the dual Derby winner, but it has never been formally admitted and the mystery remains unsolved.
