The annual Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup takes place at Ascot this Saturday. The inaugural event, named in honour of the 1981 Derby winner Shergar, was held in 1999 at Goodwood racecourse. Ascot took over in the millennium, and it has long been a staple in the British racing calendar.
The Shergar Cup is a unique raceday, attracting participants from across the globe who compete in a team format. The format has undergone several changes since its inception, such as team Middle East becoming team Rest Of The World in 2000.
Initially, the event struggled through a lack of participants, leading to European-owned horses transferring to the ROW team in order to balance the fields. Subsequently, the teams were formed with the origin of the jockeys as opposed to the ownership of the horses.
From 2012-2024, Great Britain and Ireland merged their teams with a separate all-women team to represent female jockeys from across the globe. The ‘girls’ team won their first event in 2015, before four more followed. Last year, it was announced there would be no all women’s team to the dismay of many, a change which has stuck this year.
The teams
Great Britain & Ireland
Great Britain & Ireland field a strong team this year, captained by Saffie Osborne. Osborne has continued to be a revelation this season, having won multiple valuable handicaps throughout the campaign.
A surprise star-studded addition to the team is Ryan Moore, one of the sports leading riders. With the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes being moved to Sunday, the opportunity for Moore to ride has opened up and he’ll be at the event for the first time since 2006 where he won the Silver Saddle with GB&I winning the event, captained by Jamie Spencer.
Dylan Browne McMonagle makes up the remainder of the team, and the young jockey is having a remarkable season. McMonagle rode the winners of both the Epsom & Irish Oaks, and took the Group 3 Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
GB&I have won the event four times, and the talent of their trio suggests a fifth one may be imminent.
Europe
Europe have won the race four times since 2000, the latest when captained by Frankie Dettori in 2014.
Christophe Lemaire captains the team, known better for his exploits in Japan where he is an eight time champion. The 47-year old has won a host of coveted races in Britain, including the 1,000 and 2000 Guineas. Lemaire has conquered Japan’s accolades, and also boasts an impressive International CV capped off by the 2011 Melbourne Cup.
Marie Velon was responsible for 24 of the Girls 71 points in their winning 2024 team and bids to bring Europe back to Shergar Cup glory. Velon is best known for her admirable partnership with the 17 time winner Iresine, riding him on 29 of his 30 starts. The pair have won six group races, including the Prix Royal-Oak in 2022 where Velon became the first female to win a French group 1.
Frida Valle Star is the third European jockey, who makes her Shergar Cup debut. The Norwegian was successful in the German 2,000 Guineas aboard Matilda last year.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong racing is becoming a growing force on the international scale, and they make their debut as an individual team. Their captain, Vincent Ho, was part of the Rest Of The World who landed Shergar Cup glory in 2019.
The Hong Kong association has enabled the day to be covered by World Pool, enabling racing establishments across the globe to bet into the same markets.
Jerry Chau makes his British racing debut after a tremendous campaign in Hong Kong. Last season he accumulated 48 wins, finishing fifth in the Hong Kong title race. He was therefore awarded the leading homegrown jockey prize.
A former young Hong Kong sensation Luke Ferraris completes the trio. The former South African champion apprentice has won six Group 1’s in Hong Kong, and also won the Classic Mile with My Wish in 2025.
The Rest Of The World
The Rest Of The World are the leading team of the whole event with seven wins. Frankie Dettori captained the side for three of them.
Jamie Melham captains the side this year, who was ranked the leading female jockey in 2020 and 2021. Melham last rode in the Shergar Cup in 2019. Last year, she became the first female rider to win the Caulfield Cup and the second to win the Melbourne Cup, both aboard Half Yours.
How the event is scored
The four teams of three jockeys will compete across the six races to acquire points for their team. Importantly, each jockey can only ride in five of the six races. With races capped at ten runners, the first five home will receive points of 15, 10, 7, 5 and 3.
In the event of a non-runner and a team unable to field a horse in the race within 15 minutes, that team, and the jockey initially slated to ride, is given 4 points.
The team with the highest number of points lifts the cup, presented with a silver trophy of Shergar. A separate prize of £3,000 is awarded to the jockey with the most individual points.
The incentive for owners to allow their horses to run is free entry with a guaranteed purse of £30,000 for each race, and a £369 prize for last place. Horse grooms are also rewarded with a £200 prize to each winning horse and the best turned out horse.
Race Schedule
13:35 – Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash
14:10 – Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers
14:45 – Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge
15:20 – Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint
15:55 – Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic
16:30 – Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile
Shergar Cup Best Bet 14:10 – Shrimp Shady 100/30
Andrew Balding has won this race twice since 2018 and Ryan Moore is booked for the improving Shrimp Shady for team GB&I.
The Mastercraftsman colt is still somewhat unexposed on turf with form figures of 1711. The sole defeat came when running freely at Newmarket, which can be excused. His penultimate turf success came in the Chester Plate, before landing a competitive handicap at Newbury last time out. He travelled like a very well-handicapped horse there, and gamely fended off the improving Team Player.
He was put up just 3lbs for that success, and with Ryan Moore booked, he looks well suited to this task. It wouldn’t be a surprise if his team mate, Pole Star, dictates the run of the race for him.