Ladies team lift trophy after Mile one-two

New Image (10/3 favourite) led home a sensational one-two for the Ladies in the concluding Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile to propel Hayley Turner’s team to Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup glory.

The Turner-ridden New Image needed every yard of the Round Mile to deny Yantarni and Joanna Mason in the final stride, with Rest of the World’s Rachel Venniker taking third on Carrytheone.

Turner and Mason’s 25pt haul for the Ladies meant they jumped from last to first place in the standings to retain the title. Turner also secured the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle for the third time in her career.

She said: “New Image settled well once I got in behind Joanna and he stayed really well, which was the question today. He is obviously a nice, progressive horse and I think he’d have been an unlucky loser as he got carried across the track.”

On being told she had won the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle, Turner said: “That’s great. I think it helps that the trainers don’t get to choose if I ride their horses or not. I do end up with better rides than what I’d usually get, and it just goes to show it’s the animals that get you there and not just the jockeys. All my family are here – there will be a big celebration tonight.”

Yantarni’s rider Joanna Mason said: “Coming into the day, I thought I had some good each-way chances. My first three didn’t really play out. I have ended up having to take the lead there, really, when I was probably wanting to sit on the girths of something, but we’ve been able to dictate it and we’ve nearly stolen it from the front. He probably hasn’t helped himself lugging; I was trying to keep him going forward and keep him balanced on that front and just got pipped at the post. But I’ve absolutely loved it – I loved it two years ago when I got the call-up and loved it again today. It’s a brilliant raceday, and I get to ride for trainers I wouldn’t normally get to ride for. I think it looks like we’ve won the overall title, so I’m really happy.”

Loughnane joy as Jarraaf strikes

6/5 favourite Jarraaf (marked himself down as a potential Pattern-class performer with a dominant success in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint, for Billy Loughnane and Great Britain & Ireland.

The lightly raced colt, who already had an Ascot success on his CV, powered clear down the middle of the track to score by almost three lengths, making light of his current rating of 95.

Europe contender Venture Capital (20/1) was second under Jose-Luis Borrego, with Thunder Blue (10/1) picking up some valuable points for the Ladies in third.

Loughnane said: “Jarraaf felt different class. The race went smoothly for him and he obviously has a lot of talent. I just wanted to keep him doing things the right way. We went a strong gallop into a strong enough wind, so I was keen to get cover really until the two-furlong pole. I wanted him to have a nice experience while doing the job.

“I would say the stiff six is pretty much spot on, but I was just saying then that I think a six on an easy track would actually catch him out a little bit. I would like to see him at seven on an easier track, but he is a horse who is definitely going places.”

On the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, Loughnane added: “It is a lovely thing to be a part of and hopefully that will put me back in with a chance of the Silver Saddle. Hayley [Turner] has been doing it a long time; I’m only 18 and she’s been doing it 17 years. It is her gig, as she says, but I’m going to try and take it off her. I am in a lovely position with the trainers and owners I ride for and it’s great to be a part of it.”

King wins for King

Insanity (9/2) provided British-born, Australia-based Rachel King with a fitting success for her former boss Alan King in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge.

Turning for home, it looked as though Insanity was going to win easily, but the Rest of the World runner had to dig deep to score by a head as Dream Harder battled back, with the pair clear.

Dream Harder (20/1) went down on his shield under Europe’s Jose-Luis Borrego, a multiple Classic-winning rider in Spain. Dancing In Paris (4/1F) picked up more points for Europe by filling third under Alberto Sanna.

Rachel King said: “It is a huge honour to be here. I worked for Alan for many years. To get a ride for Alan was very special and to get a winner is even better. We spoke about it beforehand, what it would mean to get a winner for Alan. It is a big occasion and I am really proud to get it done.

“They went quick and I was just trying to save my bloke. I wanted to make sure he relaxed through the first half, which he did, and I was able to get a nice breather in. He was beautiful before the race and beautiful in the run.

“I really travelled up to the other horse well and Alan gave me all the insights into our horse. Alan said he doesn’t find a huge amount off the bridle, so try to be as patient as possible, but credit to him, he was tough when he had to be.

“I hope so [it will make the news in Australia]. A few Aussie jockeys have been over before, it’s great to be able to come here and represent – I am technically on home soil but representing Australia and the Rest of the World Team. It is just good to be involved.”

Alan King said: “I love it when a plan comes together! I haven’t been a huge supporter of the Shergar Cup in the past, but I thought it was the ideal race, and to draw Rachel on Thursday was terrific. I think her last ride for me was 16 years ago in a ladies’ hurdle race at Ludlow. She was third, but what I remember is that I couldn’t carry the weight cloth out! She had 11st 5lbs or something, and there’s nothing of her. But it’s lovely. It’s great to see her – I haven’t seen her for a long time. We had a good catch up at Olly Murphy’s wedding yesterday.

“She’s given the horse a lovely ride. The one thing he doesn’t want is to hit the front too soon, and she said she kept counting and I think she said she got to 500 before she committed. He’s kept progressing, and he’s handling this ground, but he would be better with juice in the ground. He might be one for the November Handicap.

“He does jump very well, but Max [McNeill, co-owner] said that, for the time being, let’s stay on the Flat with him. Let’s hope he’s good enough and goes up far enough that he might come back here for the Royal Ascot.”

Ten for Turner as Hand strikes

Ladies captain Hayley Turner registered her 10th Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup victory with a brave front-running success on Ranch Hand in the Stayers.

Turner, appearing at her 17th Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, was able to conserve energy on her mount, and that proved crucial in the closing stages as the Andrew Balding-trained eight-year-old battled back to beat Beamish by a head.

Beamish (12/1) held second under Seamie Heffernan, while The Grand Visir (11/1) provided Europe with much-needed points by taking third under Italian rider Alberto Sanna.

Turner said: “What a tough horse. He got headed, battled on back, and just stayed very well. Andrew told me to just let him bowl along and enjoy himself. It makes a change because it is usually the straight mile and I come from behind, but I made the running over two today to mix it up a bit.

“Andrew is really, really good to me. I pop down during the summer months, once a week, and I tend to ride a lot of his light rides. It is nice for the Kingsclere Racing Club [owners], I had a winner for them here last week, and they’re always out in force. I’ve got all my family here, friends – we always have such a good day.”

On being a Shergar Cup regular, she said: “It is not something I ever set out to do, but I’ve been lucky enough to get invited back most years and I really enjoy it. It’s not like it’s taking over racing, it happens occasionally and I really enjoy it as it’s something a bit different. It’s just fun.”

Balding said: “I am delighted for the horse because he has had a few problems and is a very able horse in his prime – he was a Listed winner. It looks like the fire is still there, so we are thrilled.

“The Cesarewitch is very much an option. He likes Newmarket. He actually started favourite for it as a three-year-old, a long time ago now. It was a bit much for him then, but I think it’s the right race now.”

Balding’s father Ian trained Glint Of Gold to be second to Shergar in the 1981 Derby. Balding said: “Shergar was a great horse. I remember that almost as my first racing memory, watching them come past the post. There was a big long gap and Glint of Gold passed the line in second. He was a fabulous racehorse and this is a very worthy day to remember him. I think the Shergar Cup is great as a one-off. Ascot does a lovely job hosting it and the prize money incentives are a big bonus for the owners.”

Venniker makes flying start

4/1 favourite Holkham Bay gave South African jockey Rachel Venniker a dream start to the day with a blistering success in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash.

The William Knight-trained winner, who posted a career-best when scoring at York last time, showed he is a four-year-old on the up with a two-and-a-half-length verdict under South Africa’s only professional female jockey.

Runner-up Kylian (12/1) led home a bunch finish for the places, providing fellow debutant Billy Loughnane with his first Shergar Cup points, with GB & Ireland teammate Tadhg O’Shea in third on Dream Composer.

Venniker said: “The horse did it all. Everything worked out perfectly. I am very thankful for the opportunity. As soon as I asked him the question, he changed legs and I thought they’ll never catch me now.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better start and the horse made it nice and easy for me. It was almost hard to pull him up, he won so well! A great start. This is a beautiful track to ride on, and to ride the first winner is more than I could have hoped for.

“I am so proud I’ve won a race here. What a remarkable feeling. So fantastic to have everyone here I know and spring up a winner; I’m over the moon. It is nice to make South Africa proud and the boss [Michael Roberts] proud.”

Knight said: “Fair play to Holkham Bay. With these sprinters, it sometimes takes a bit of time for it all to click together and Kayley, my head girl, who rides him at home every day, does a good job on him. He is not the most straightforward sometimes.

“Rachel gave him a lovely ride. It just worked out perfectly that that horse came on the outside and she was just able to get a tow off it, which brought himself into the race nicely. He was impressive there over the five furlongs. I think he’s got to be that sort of Wokingham, Stewards’ Cup type horse. He’ll go with a little cut in the ground now. He’s had a little break from his last race, so I hope we’ll have some nice options in the second half of the season.

“The owner keeps telling me we should go for the Portland next – he’s been telling me that for three months – and it might be a good option for him. I think he likes those flat tracks.”

Billy Loughnane, who rode runner-up Kylian, said: “I’ve grown up watching the Shergar Cup and it’s nice to be part of it. Hopefully we can keep running well and get a few points. Kylian ran a cracker, and the gelding has helped him. He just threw it away a little bit in the gates, the winner was well in – we were never beating that – but he did well to finish second.”

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