(CNN) -- It was a foggy winter's night on the remote Ballymany Stud Farm in Ireland when its head groom Jim Fitzgerald heard a knock at the door. What lurked outside was to spark one of the most extraordinary unsolved kidnappings of the 20th Century. Thirty years ago this week -- on February 8, 1983 -- Fitzgerald was confronted by three masked gunmen. They had come for Shergar -- then the most valuable race horse in the world and the pride of a nation. "Shergar was the best race horse in the world, owned by the richest man in the world. It was the most sensational sports story of all time," racing commentator Derek Thompson told CNN.Thirty years after "world's greatest" race horse was stolen, his legend lives onShergar was kidnapped from Northern Irish stud farm, but was never foundThe £10 million stallion was owned by billionaire Islamic leader Aga KhanIrish Republican Army was widely accused of kidnapping but was never charged
Father-of-six _ was bundled into a car and driven around for hours before being dumped a few miles from home.