'All horses can walk - some badly, some well, but to a few is given a gift of movement feline in its grace, a slouching, flowing continuous movement that is a joy to watch. Dark Invader strode in glorious rhythm, his great shoulders rolling, muscles rippling along his flanks under the satin skin.'

Dark Invader is a beautifully bred racehorse, but after a disappointing first season he is sold in disgrace and shipped from England to Calcutta. With love and gentle handling 'Darkie' wins the hearts of the people and becomes the firm favourite for India's most famous race, the Viceroy Cup.

But three days before the race Dark Invader disappears. Can he be found before it is too late?

This book is part of a book series called Virago Modern Classics .

This book has been graded for interest at 10+ years.

There are 208 pages in this book. This book was published 2014 by Little, Brown Book Group .

Rumer Godden, who died in 1998, was one of the UK's most distinguished authors. She wrote many well-known and much-loved books for both adults and children, including The Peacock Spring (also available as a Young Picador) and Black Narcissus.