The
story begins in North Africa in 1727. A 12 year old mute Arab
orphan, Agba, a groom in the stables of the Bey of Tunis, develops
a strong relationship with an orphaned colt, Sham. Agba and the
head groom, Achmet, accompany Sham and several other horses on
a terrible sea voyage to France, where they are to be gifts from
the Bey to Louis XV. The story follows the mixed fortunes of the
boy and the horse, through France and England, over the following
few years.
Eventually
Sham is destined to be the forefather of the famous Arabian racing
stallion breed which dominates modern horse racing, and the film's
climax takes place at England's Newmarket racecourse, where Sham's
son Lath wins the King's Plate.