Another thrilling edition of the Shergar Cup once again demonstrated the enduring appeal of one of racing’s most distinctive international occasions.
While the world’s greatest racedays rightly place the spotlight on exceptional horses, Ascot’s annual team competition celebrates something different. It is a meeting built around the skill and teamwork of jockeys, bringing together riders from around the world in a format unlike any other.
It was a truly wonderful occasion to see Team Hong Kong make history in the competition’s 25th year. Vincent Ho, Jerry Chau and Luke Ferraris carried Hong Kong’s colours as the first official jurisdiction team in the event’s quarter-century history, lining up against Great Britain & Ireland, Europe and the Rest of the World.
Team Hong Kong made an immediate impact, with both Jerry Chau and Luke Ferraris winning on their first-ever rides at the meeting – no easy feat at a track like Ascot, and a fine showcase of the depth of Hong Kong’s riding talent. Jerry steered TUCO SALAMANCA (trained by Ollie Sangster) to victory in the Shergar Cup Dash (1000m), holding off GOLD STAR HERO under team captain Vincent Ho, before Luke followed up on DANCING IN PARIS in the Shergar Cup Stayers (3190m) to claim the Ride of the Day award.
Those performances lifted Team Hong Kong to a superb second-place finish overall on 62 points, edging Team Europe on a countback of race wins, behind only a Ryan Moore-inspired Great Britain & Ireland, who claimed the Silver Saddle and overall honours with 81 points. It was a magnificent debut for Team Hong Kong and a fitting example of the power of international racing to showcase our sport, and our city, on the world stage.
Vincent stays on in Europe, partnering Group 2 winner PONNTOS in the Listed Prix du Cercle (1000m) at Deauville today (9 August).
Later today, our simulcast programme continues with two more Group 1 fixtures: Grosser Preis von Berlin Day from Hoppegarten Racecourse in Germany and Prix Maurice de Gheest Day from Deauville in France.
Germany has enjoyed an excellent season at the highest level, highlighted by Andreas Wohler saddling DARDANOS to win the G1 Deutsches Derby (2400m) before SOREANGA captured last week’s G1 Preis der Diana (2200m). Those performances have again underlined the strength and depth of German racing, particularly among middle-distance performers, and Sunday’s G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin (2400m), carded as S2-4 and beginning at 9.40pm (Hong Kong time), provides another opportunity for the country’s leading older horses to test themselves at the highest level.
The contest is one of Germany’s showpiece middle-distance races and has a habit of producing G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winners, with DANEDREAM, TORQUATOR TASSO and ALPINISTA all following up Hoppegarten success in Paris. Ten runners go to post, the biggest field for the race since 2011.
TORNADO ALERT (Thore Hammer Hansen) is the highest-rated runner in the field on 117 for Saeed bin Suroor’s powerful Godolphin stable, and is a win and place chance. He is joined in Godolphin’s colours by DUBAI FUTURE (Daniel Tudhope), a 10-year-old campaigner fitted with cheekpieces, who is a place chance.
The strongest storyline is a duel between Germany’s last two Derby winners. HOCHKONIG (Jack Mitchell), last year’s German Derby hero for Yasmin Almenrader and rated 114, is a win and place chance. He takes on DARDANOS (Eduardo Pedroza), supplemented into this field after providing Andreas Wohler with a sixth Derby success as an 85/1 outsider – the longest-priced winner in the race’s 157-year history – and is a place chance.
Run over 1300 metres, the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest occupies a unique position in the European Pattern Book. Run in a dead-straight line, it sits between the specialist sprint and mile divisions, demanding both the speed to travel strongly over six furlongs and the stamina to see out the extra 100 metres. It is a test that often produces fascinating clashes between established sprinters and milers dropping back in distance.
Last year’s renewal was a landmark result for Andre Fabre when SAJIR, a 26/1 shot, gave the champion trainer his first victory in the race, closing one of the last gaps in his record.
This year’s edition, carded as S3-4 and due off at 10.40pm, features 11 runners, and Aidan O’Brien’s TRUE LOVE (Wayne Lordan) is expected to head the market. The daughter of NO NAY NEVER drops back in trip here after twice finishing behind PRECISE over a mile, and Aidan is chasing a first win in this race in 25 years. She is a win and place chance.
STOLEN KISS (Alexis Pouchin), the highest-rated runner in the field on 117, was a close-up fourth in the G1 Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot last time and has already beaten SAJIR twice this season. He is a win and place chance, as is DIVISION (James Doyle), who finished ahead of SAMANGAN (Mickael Barzalona) in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.
TAKE CHARGE STAR (Ben Coen), trained by Johnny Murtagh, drops back in trip again after nearly causing a 66/1 upset over 1400m in the G3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, and is a place chance along with SAMANGAN and Xavier Blanchet’s course specialist MISE EN BOITE (Anthony Crastus).
On a personal note, alongside my role at the Club, breeding and racing horses in my own colours remains a source of real joy. On Friday, my three-year-old colt NOW FOR GLORY, by ALMANZOR out of NOW FOREVER, won a Class 2 contest over 2400m at Clairefontaine against strong opposition – his second victory from three starts. He was ridden by Antoine Hamelin, who spent five seasons riding at Sha Tin and Happy Valley and will be a familiar face to many Hong Kong racing fans.
Source: Hong Kong Jockey Club