World team take Shergar honours
A Hugh Bowman and Yutaka Take-inspired Rest Of The World side landed the honours in what turned out to be a thrilling battle for the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot.
This sometimes maligned, 12-jockey and four-team international competition looked settled by half-way with the Irish representatives well ahead before a magnificent rally from the star-studded Rest Of The World trio, helped also by Australian ace Darren Beadman.
They took the honours with a total of 86 points, with Ireland on 66, Great Britain notching 58 and Europe collecting 42.
Team captain Bowman also received the ’Silver Saddle’ for top individual rider, collaring Hayley Turner by taking the closing Sodexho Prestige Shergar Cup Mile with a power-packed ride on Benandonner (5-1).
Bowman has come to the end of his summer stint in Britain and joked: “I go home on Tuesday, but I can’t leave on a high so I’m off to Redcar tomorrow!
“It’s been a really enjoyable afternoon. I knew I would struggle at the start of the day but I had some good rides later on.
“I’m looking forward to coming back next year.”
There was a huge crowd, buoyed no doubt by a performance from Madness after racing, but the performance of the day must go to Take’s effort on Leg Spinner to take the two-mile Carvill Shergar Cup Stayers.
Much had been made of how the Japanese, who speaks little English, would get on with Leg Spinner’s shrewd Irish trainer Tony Martin in the preliminaries.
But Take has ridden winners all over the world and after anchoring the 5-2 favourite at the back of the field, there were almost memories of the jockey’s great mount Deep Impact as he scythed through the entire field in the home straight to win cosily by a length and a quarter.
“I am very happy – that is my first win at Ascot,” said a delighted Take.
“There are lots of people here from Japan and it is always great to win in front of so many fans.”
Martin continued: “I didn’t mind any of the jockeys – they are all very good. He was very cool and the man knows what he’s doing – he’s a champion jockey.
“We could give Leg Spinner an entry for the Cesarewitch but that’s a long way away and he’ll mix jumps and Flat until the winter ground comes.”
Take nearly stole Frankie Dettori’s thunder aboard John Terry in the Michael Page International Shergar Cup Challenge but a stirring finish saw Dettori’s 11-8 favourite Strategic Mount pull out a decisive head at the post.
Paul Cole’s giant colt was clipped to 12-1 from 14s by VC Bet for the totesport Ebor and the trainer said: “We always wanted to go for the Ebor but he’s a bit keen and fresh and kept missing races because the ground went soft.
“He’s in the Melbourne Cup, but won’t get in unless he wins something.”
Ireland took top points with a one-two in the Porthault Shergar Cup Sprint, which prompted official bookmakers Ladbrokes to suspend their betting after race three.
The victory went to Roger Charlton’s well-backed 6-4 favourite Genki, who was brought through by a cool Kevin Manning to collar team-mate Declan McDonogh on the front-running Lipocco.
He quickened away by an easy two lengths while Siren’s Gift, who had been expected to be a leading contender, refused to enter the stalls.
Turner had her moment of glory too and justified her late call-up to replace Seb Sanders with her, and trainer John Best’s first Ascot winners in the Barclays Shergar Cup Juvenile.
Turner’s 33-1 shot Relative Order finished smartly and although he drifted to his left, he was well in control over Gypsy Baby and Dream Eater.
“It’s nice to strike that off the list,” said the top female rider.
“I rode in the Shergar Cup last year and it was nice to come back again. He hung a bit and he’s still green, but really game.”
Turner nearly repeated the trick in the Titanic Quarter Shergar Cup Distaff aboard 9-2 joint-favourite Dark Missile but was cut down close home by the fellow market leader Our Faye.
Wokingham Handicap winner Dark Missile was apparently cruising and surged into the lead with one of the six furlongs to run but Jimmy Fortune conjured a rare rattle out of Our Faye.
She obliged by three-quarters of a length to take her record this season to four wins from as many runs.
Trainer Sylvester Kirk reported: “I almost ran her in the Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood last week and she has improved with every run all year.
“I will look for a black type race for her now.”
Ascot were delighted with attendance figures of around 30,000.
