The Shergar Cup takes place at Ascot on Saturday with GB & Ireland, Europe, Asia and Rest Of The World competing in this unique team event. Matty Sutcliffe has found four best bets on the card.
1:35 Ascot Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash (Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-105)
Seven Questions 18/1 1pt EW 3 places
A chance is taken on Seven Questions bouncing back to form who despite having form figures of 77460 this season, has dropped 9lbs in the weights and he’s acquitted himself well in both handicap runs.
The Kodiac gelding has struggled since landing the Palace House Stakes last season for all be for all he was only beaten two lengths next time out in the G2 Temple Stakes, but there was signs of a comeback when only beaten five lengths off top weight at York in June, finishing ahead of both Venture Capital and Regal Envoy.
He then ran another solid race at York back up to listed company to be beaten three lengths into sixth, finishing two lengths behind JM Jungle who subsequently landed the King George Qatar Stakes now rated 112.
Seven Questions ran as well as you could expect for a 100/1 shot in the Stewards Cup when a five lengths eleventh, but he was only two lengths behind the second there and this looks to be his easiest test in a long while now off his lowest mark in handicaps since landing a Leicester Nursery off 88.
2:45 Ascot Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge (Handicap) (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (4yo+ 0-100)
Night Breeze 9/1 1pt WIN
The sole C&D winner in the field Night Breeze was unlucky not to better his record here last time out when bumping into the progressive Mount Atlas, who didn’t go unbacked in the G3 Glorious Stakes prior to being pulled out on account of lameness in the morning.
The New Approach gelding travelled strongly throughout the contest, but may have conceded defeat when swinging wide on the turn whereas the eventual winner got a dream run up the inside.
He backed up his third in the Old Newton Cup there after a below par effort at Epsom, and the handicapper has been generous leaving him on a mark of 86 as he certainly didn’t look badly handicapped here last time out.
3:20 Ascot Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint (Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo 0-100)
Zayer 10/1 1pt EW 3 places
It’s only a matter of time before Starspangledbanner colt Zayer gets his head in front this season, as he’s ran four solid races in defeat.
Having acquitted himself well in two graded contests at the back end of last season, he began life in handicaps off a lofty enough mark of 99 and wasn’t disgraced on seasonal debut at Sandown, beaten three lengths off top weight.
He then went up in to open company at York when beaten three lengths in a race that typically paid to be on the front end, with the first four home all racing prominently including
JM Jungle. Miss Attitude fared best from rear in that contest and she subsequently finished half a length ahead of JM Jungle in listed company, so the form holds strong.
Zayer then dropped back to 3yo only company in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes at Royal Ascot and stayed on strong to be beaten two lengths into fourth by Adrestia, who’s now rated 13lbs higher after finishing fourth in the G3 Coral Charge and second in a valuable 0-105 open handicap at Goodwood, again finishing a length ahead of Redorange there who was a length ahead of Zayer at Ascot, now rated 9lbs higher.
Zayer was rather kindly left on a mark of 96, and he shaped well back up in trip at Newmarket when third in a competitive handicap won by a stylish winner in Prince of India, and an 11lbs swing with that one this time around suggests the three lengths deficit can be overturned.
3:55 Ascot Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic (Handicap) (GBBPlus Race) (Class 3) (3yo 0-95)
Montpellier Green 33/1 0.5pt EW 3 places
A dart which requires a leap of faith is thrown in the way of Montpellier Green, who steps up drastically in trip from five furlongs at Chester last time out to twelve furlongs here.
The Mehmas gelding got off the mark in gritty style last season on handicap debut for Joseph O’Brien, staying on strongly over seven furlongs with the third now rated 92 after taking two valuable handicaps at Naas and the Curragh.
He backed that up at Leopardstown when upped to a mile, unsuited by racing widest of all and looking a shade outpaced on the turn prior to staying on well for third on soft ground. That performance suggested stamina laden trips may improve him further, as did his two runs at Kempton over a mile for Jack Jones when staying on well each time to be beaten three lengths.
The drop back to seven didn’t look an obvious move on stable debut for Ian Williams having been bought for 19,000 GNS, though he shaped well there at Newbury and was entitled to weaken late on in what was his first start in 204 days.
He fared little better when never put into the contest in rear at Doncaster, and the decision to drop him back to five furlongs at Chester can only be described as comical as he looked entirely rushed off his feet despite blowing the start.
While this trip is certainly unknown territory, Mehmas’ progeny do have some form over this distance and he’s out of a Footstepsinthesand mare which backs up the visual impression that this trip may be within reach.
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