Doubles from Hollie Doyle and Saffie Osborne in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup ensured that the Ladies team (78 points) edged out Rest of the World by five points.
Doyle picked up points on all five of her rides during the afternoon, winning on The Very Man in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers and Regal Empire in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic. Her haul of 48 points saw her take home the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle for the day’s leading rider.
Doyle said: “I haven’t won the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle before, so it’s great to have that on my CV. I got to ride in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup first when I was an apprentice, and it let me showcase myself on a wider stage internationally. I rode a winner for Clive Cox and I ended up riding out and had quite a few winners for him – I actually rode him a Listed winner – so something really did come of that opportunity, and I think it is important in that regard. It’s a very good meeting and Ascot do a great job.”
Newcomer Osborne took the Challenge on Scampi before securing victory for her team on board Dark Trooper in the concluding Sprint.
Hayley Turner, the most successful jockey in the history of the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, captained the Ladies Team but was unable to add to her 322 points.
She said: “It has been good fun again and it is nice to have all the family here. This has been the best Ladies team we have ever had – I did not get any points at all and they carried me. It has been great fun and I hope I can do this for many years.”
Kazuo Yokoyama made his first ride at Ascot a winning one as he triumphed on Rogue Lightning in the opening Dubai Duty Free Shergar Dash, with Matthew Chadwick and Joao Moreira also making significant contributions to the Rest of the World’s 73 points.
Late call-up Thore Hammer Hansen steered Perotto to glory in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile, helping Europe to finish third with 54 points, with Great Britain and Ireland fourth on 35 points.
Frankie Dettori, who captained a Europe team that also included Olivier Peslier, said: “The Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup is good for people who know little about racing. I have seen a lot of kids here, a full crowd, and it’s got a different feel to it.”
Great Britain & Ireland captain Luke Morris said: “It has been a fabulous day, with a great crowd, and everyone has really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, we did not get a winner, but there has been a real good buzz about the place. Declan [McDonogh] and Tom [Marquand] are ultimate professionals to ride with, and it would be great to come back again.”
Nick Smith, Director of Racing and Public Affairs at Ascot Racecourse, said: “It has been another brilliant Cup, with the competition going all the way to the final race. It was fantastic to see Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle winner Hollie Doyle and debutante Saffie Osborne ride doubles to land the competition for the Ladies, their fourth success in the last eight renewals.
“We were also thrilled to see international success for Kazuo Yokoyama, which will have been hugely popular in Japan, and delighted that Thore Hammer Hansen rode a winner after stepping in so late in the day.
“Andrew Balding takes home £12,500 for his yard as the leading trainer on the day and, once again, we are hugely grateful to all the trainers and owners for supporting this unique event. There has been more than £500,000 on offer to participants today, which we wouldn’t be able to do without the sponsors Dubai Duty Free, so a huge thanks goes to them for their continued to long-standing support.”
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.