Ben Copperfield is a freelance journalist who specialises in all things equine, so when he is called with the news that the hot favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup has been kidnapped, just a few weeks before the race, he wastes no time in following the story up. This could be the racing scoop of a lifetime. Although the horse's owner and trainer, self-made millionaire Eddie Truman, calls the police straight away, it seems he has one or two skeletons in his cupboard that he would rather not reveal to the authorities, and so he also employs Ben to investigate. With the promise of an exclusive and orders to report back only to Truman, Ben goes to work. But as the date of the Gold Cup draws ever closer, it is still unclear whether the missing horse is still alive. Where on earth could a valuable racehorse be hidden for so long? What is the secret from Truman's past that he will not share, even with Ben? Doggedly chasing the truth, Ben finds himself tested, both physically and psychologically, as he gradually uncovers a tale of prejudice, ambition and heartbreak.