Trainer's appeal to find lost racehorse

Philip Sharp said 10-year-old Zimbabwe escaped onto a Ministry of Defence firing range in Kent after unseating his rider while being exercised on the beach in Camber Sands on January 8.

He feared his horse might be dead but now believes Zimbabwe has been stolen.

Mr Sharp said: "An army sergeant, police officer and myself went up in a helicopter on Sunday to search the entire firing range from the air. We had a thorough look but unfortunately have found nothing.

"It now looks like Zimbabwe may have been stolen because we found no carcass nor anything else whatsoever to prove he was dead."

Mr Sharp has made local radio and TV appeals in a bid to find Zimbabwe, as well as putting up posters.

He was initially refused entry into the firing range by security staff due to security restrictions after his horse got onto the grounds, which contain several unexploded bombs.

The horse trainer, who has had Zimbabwe for one-and-a-half years, was then allowed to take part in a three-hour search.

Mr Sharp said Zimbabwe was taken to Camber Sands to be exercised because the recent freezing weather meant the racehorse could not be exercised on his stable in Whatlington.

He said: "Zimbabwe unseated his rider and ran off over the dunes into the firing range and he hasn't been seen since.

"The tide was out at the time so there was a long stretch of beach for him to gallop on.

"I still have no idea what happened to him and the yard is just not the same without him.

"Zimbabwe is microchipped and has distinctive markings."

His racehorse's wins include the 2003 Irish Cesarewitch for his breeder Sheikh Mohammed and former trainer John Oxx.

His most recent win came in a Fontwell selling hurdle in April 2007, when trained by Gary Moore.