Moore’s comeback yields a winning return at the Shergar Cup
Ryan Moore made a notable return to the Shergar Cup at Ascot, producing a two-win afternoon to help Team Great Britain & Ireland claim the team trophy and to secure the meeting’s leading rider award.
Team honours for Great Britain & Ireland
Team Great Britain & Ireland topped the standings on 81 points, finishing clear of Team Hong Kong on 62. Moore’s individual total of 47 points was enough to take the Silver Saddle as the meeting’s top jockey.
Moore had not ridden at the Shergar Cup since 2006, when he won the Silver Saddle on that occasion as well. With a schedule change to other commitments, he was available to return to Ascot this year and made the most of the opportunity for himself and his teammates.
Key rides and results
Moore’s first success came aboard Dylan Cunha’s Asgard’s Captain in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge. The 13-2 gelding travelled well and held on to win by a length and a quarter, delivering an important early boost to his team.
He followed that with a commanding victory in the penultimate contest, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic, aboard Marco Botti’s Archers Bay. Sent off 5-2, Archers Bay produced a decisive finish to score by three-and-a-quarter lengths, having earlier run in the Italian Derby this season and showing class on the day.
Moore also rode in the Mile, finishing third on Ozat, while the final placing did not affect the team outcome for Great Britain & Ireland.
Strong contributions from teammates
Saffie Osborne contributed to the team score when she steered Tim Easterby’s Red Spells Danger to victory in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint. The 2-1 favourite justified support to get on the scoresheet for Team Great Britain & Ireland.
Osborne, who is captaining the team alongside Moore and Dylan Browne McMonagle in this iteration of the competition, commented on enjoying the event and the quality of the riding assembled at Ascot.
Team Hong Kong set the early pace
Team Hong Kong, making a strong impression in their Shergar Cup appearance, won the opening two races and challenged throughout the card. Jerry Chau provided the meeting’s first winner when partnering Tuco Salamanca to victory in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash. Chau timed his run to perfection, taking a clear margin into the final furlong and quickening to a one-and-a-half-length success.
Luke Ferraris later added to Hong Kong’s tally in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers aboard Dancing In Paris. Ferraris produced a late surge to collar Shrimp Shady and win by a length, giving the Hong Kong contingent a second success on the card.
Meeting atmosphere and significance
The Shergar Cup remains a distinctive part of Ascot’s calendar, staged as a team-based event that brings together riders from several jurisdictions in a festival format. Moore’s return after many years away and the emergence of younger names in the team environment underlined the meeting’s mix of experience and rising talent.
For connections, owners and the Ascot crowd the day provided several notable performances across distances and styles, with team rivalry driving competitive riding and decisive tactics throughout the six-race card.
Looking ahead
With the team contest concluded and individual honours settled, attention will now return to the broader British and Irish flat season and the feature meetings that follow. The Shergar Cup’s team format continues to offer a high-profile platform for jockeys to showcase their skill in front of a large Ascot audience, while trainers and owners will take stock of performances as they plan the remainder of the campaign.
