Jockey Turner wins on Cup return

The Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup might not be a hit with racing's purists but the Ascot crowds were again treated to a thrilling afternoon on Saturday after the jockeys' team competition went right down to the wire.
Plough Boy ridden by Killian Leonard (left) before winning the Plusvital Handicap ahead of Texas Rock ridden by O J Orr (right) at Curragh Racecourse,  Co. Kildare, Ireland.Plough Boy ridden by Killian Leonard (left) before winning the Plusvital Handicap ahead of Texas Rock ridden by O J Orr (right) at Curragh Racecourse,  Co. Kildare, Ireland.
Plough Boy ridden by Killian Leonard (left) before winning the Plusvital Handicap ahead of Texas Rock ridden by O J Orr (right) at Curragh Racecourse, Co. Kildare, Ireland.

The Rest of the World trio captained by champion jockey Silvestre de Sousa eventually emerged on top with 68 points gained over the six races, narrowly ahead of Europe with 65.

A famous winner for Hayley Turner on her mini-comeback helped last year’s winners the Girls team to a total of 54, with the Great Britain and Ireland side just a point behind on 53. It was South African rider Gavin Lerena who notably impressed though, steering the Amanda Perrett-trained 25-1 shot Arch Villain in the Shergar Cup Stayers, before completing a double on Richard Hannon’s Danehill Kodiac (10-1) in the Classic.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It has been a fantastic day. It is a dream come true,” said Lerena.

“We are here for another week, so we are going to head out to Newmarket.

“I am hoping that I might get a couple of rides – that is why we are hanging around – and it would be fantastic if I could maybe get a ride at Newmarket. I’d love to come back to Britain again and if I have the right opportunity, I will grab it with both hands.”

Thierry Jarnet also claimed two winners with Ken Condon’s Irish raider In Salutem (9-2 favourite) winning the Dash and Kadrizzi coming home in front in the concluding Sprint, securing him the title of leading rider on the day.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However, perhaps the most popular winner of the day was that of Turner, who punched the air in jubilation as Early Morning (6-1) came home in front in the Shergar Cup Mile.

Britain’s most successful female rider retired at the end of last season but answered the call to take part in her 10th Shergar Cup.

“It’s so nice to do it here, it’s so special and I am thrilled,” said Turner.

“I think my celebrations showed how much it meant to me – I nearly fell off the horse as I was waving and blowing kisses to everyone!”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

At Haydock, Royal Artillery 
(10-1) repaid the faith of trainer John Gosden with a battling display to hold off Scottish by a length and a quarter in the Betfred Rose Of Lancaster Stake.

Winning rider Colm O’Donoghue said: “He’s a lovely progressive horse. Mr Gosden has always liked him. He’s a big, scopey horse and will get better with time. He’s come back well from his last race at Ascot and will step up to another level now.”

Group Three honours were also on offer at Newmarket with Nations Alexander (4-1) making every yard in the German-Thoroughbred.com Sweet Solera Stakes.

Successful trainer Richard Hannon said: “We will supplement her for the Moyglare. The last grey filly I supplemented for the Moyglare went and won the Guineas (Sky Lantern).”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Yesterday was all about Group Ones and it was Caravaggio who stole the headlines in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh as the red-hot 1-8 favourite.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien said: “He’s a very good horse and everything went 100 per cent. In his last piece of work he hit a top speed of 45 miles per hour – no horse in Ballydoyle has ever been able to do that.”

A clash with brilliant Queen Mary winner Lady Aurelia is now on the cards in the Prix Morny at Deauville on August 21.

In France, Signs Of Blessing booked his ticket to Ascot on Champions Day in winning the Prix Maurice de Gheest for Francois Rohaut, but it was frustration in the German Oaks for Hugo Palmer and Frankie Dettori as Architecture was denied.

Related topics: