Ben Copperfield is a freelance journalist who specializes in all things equine, so when he's called with the news that the hot favorite for Britain's Cheltenham Gold Cup has been kidnapped just a few weeks before the race, he wastes no time in following up the story. Although the horse's owner and trainer, self-made millionaire Eddie Truman, immediately calls in the police, it seems he has one or two skeletons in his closet that he'd rather not share with 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's unclear whether the missing horse is still alive. Doggedly chasing the truth, Ben finds himself tested, both physically and psychologically, as he gradually uncovers a tale of prejudice, ambition, and heartbreak.