Hollie Doyle wins Silver Saddle for leading rider at the Shergar Cup after a double at Ascot; Saffie Osborne also grabs two victories including in the final race to steal title from the Rest of the World
Saturday 12 August 2023 17:57, UK
Doubles from Hollie Doyle and Saffie Osborne helped the Ladies seal Shergar Cup victory after a dramatic finale at Ascot, where Doyle also picked up the Silver Saddle for leading rider.
Japanese ace Kazuo Yokoyama had made it the perfect start for the Rest Of The World with a win in the opening Shergar Cup Dash aboard Rogue Lightning, but while the outfit that also comprised Matthew Chadwick and Joao Moreira stayed competitive all afternoon and led going into the last race, it was the Ladies who ultimately won the day.
The all-important victory came through Osborne and Ed Walker's 7/2 favourite Dark Trooper in the concluding Shergar Cup Sprint, where Doyle was fourth with Washington Heights. That left the Ladies on 78 points in the final standings, from the Rest of the World on 73.
Doyle sat atop the jockeys' standings on 48 points, with Osborne tied with Chadwick on 30 points.
Japanese star Kazuo Yokoyama made the perfect start on his Shergar Cup debut as he steered Rogue Lightning (9/1) to victory for Rest of the World in the opening five-furlong Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash.
Trained by Tom Clover, Rogue Lightning came home strongly from the rear to win by just under two lengths. He led home a one-two for Rest of the World, with Intrinsic Bond a clear second under leading Hong Kong pilot Matthew Chadwick. Dream Composer, ridden by Frankie Dettori, stayed on well up the stands' rail to grab third.
Speaking via a translator, Yokoyama told Sky Sports Racing: "I was a bit tense but, now I've ridden and won the race, I am myself again.
"The horse was in the best condition and the track was also in the best condition. It is one of the best racecourses in the world.
"Tom [Clover, trainer] gave us precise advice, so I tried to place the horse in a very relaxed position behind other horses and he quickened in the last furlong."
The Very Man (9/4) came from last to first under a power-packed Hollie Doyle to win the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers for the Ladies.
The Jessica Harrington-trained winner, who was having his first Flat start outside of Ireland, came with a withering run down the outside to clear away and score by three and a quarter lengths.
Runner-up Berkshire Rocco kept on well for Matthew Chadwick, while The Grand Visir was third under Great Britain & Ireland captain Luke Morris.
Saffie Osborne edged out teammate Doyle in a thrilling finish to the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge as Scampi (11/2) dug deep to continue the brilliant form of trainer Andrew Balding.
Scampi came from off the pace to join Wootton'Sun (17/2) entering the final furlong and Osborne managed to get her mount's head down on the line.
There was a 12-length gap back to third-placed Youthful King (10/1), who picked up some much needed points for Europe rider Olivier Peslier.
Thore Hammer Hansen secured a first Shergar Cup victory as he delivered Perotto (10/3) on the line to land the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile.
A late replacement for Bauyrzhan Murzabayev in the Europe team, Hammer Hansen appeared to have an uphill task early in the straight but, once in the clear, his mount picked up strongly to collar Joao Moreira's Fox Tal (20/1) in the final stride.
The 5/2 favourite Empirestateofmind stayed on to bag more points for Frankie Dettori in third.
Doyle grabbed her second victory after lifting Regal Empire (13/2) to a head success in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic.
Always close to the pace, Regal Empire got the better of a three-way battle for the line, just ahead of runner-up Struth (11/1) under Matthew Chadwick and Intinso (14/1) for Luke Morris.
The Rest Of The World went into the final race needing just a second-placed finish to seal the title, but they failed to pick up points and the Ladies pounced.
Osborne again at the front on Dark Trooper (7/2), pulling clear of Europe's Russet Gold in second.
Great Britain & Ireland's Quinault, who had been seeking a seventh victory in a row, grabbed third, with Doyle and Washington Heights fourth to take the Ladies five clear of the Rest of the World.
