Five horses to watch at Ascot’s Shergar Cup meeting
The Shergar Cup returns to Ascot on Saturday with a compact card featuring international riders and a number of intriguing entries. Below are five horses whose recent form and racing characteristics make them ones to keep an eye on across the afternoon’s contests.
1. Kendall Roy — Shergar Cup Dash (5f)
Trained in Ireland by Kate McGivern, Kendall Roy arrives off a couple of tight finishes over five furlongs at Cork where he was beaten narrowly on each occasion. Those recent efforts suggest the colt finishes strongly, which could be a decisive asset in a dash likely to develop into a fast, competitive heat.
Connections have kept him at the same mark following those runs and the combination of a sprint contest that may blow up up front and Kendall Roy’s late acceleration means he is one to monitor closely in the early card.
2. Pole Star — Shergar Cup Stayers (2m)
Pole Star steps back up in trip to two miles, a move the yard hope will bring improvement. The horse has been campaigned over a mixture of distances but performed well over extended trips previously and returns to a staying trip he has shown aptitude for.
This contest may lack genuine front-end pace, which would suit a runner who can be prominent and pick up once the race collapses into a sprint home. The ride for Dylan Browne McMonagle, who has enjoyed notable success at staying trips this season, is also a relevant factor.
3. Havana Hurricane — Shergar Cup Sprint (6f)
Havana Hurricane, a Windsor Castle winner, has been contesting high-class five-furlong races in recent seasons but has since dropped into handicap company. His recent form shows a strong late kick and he shaped well when switched to a six-furlong sprint at Sandown, closing with intent.
Traditionally the straight six at Ascot can favour hold-up types and recent winners of this sprint have come from the rear of the field. Given Havana Hurricane’s turn of foot, he fits the profile of a late-runner who could take advantage of that pattern.
4. Hoseki — Shergar Cup Classic (1m 4f)
Hoseki has produced a series of progressive performances and handled a steady tempo in her latest start before powering home, covering the closing stages in notably quick splits for the course and distance. That run resulted in a small weight rise, but she is still likely to possess stamina in reserve.
Her breeding suggests further stamina, and she carries positive momentum into this race. The mare’s recent sequence of wins means she will be watched closely as she bids to extend that run in the middle-distance feature.
5. Two Tribes — Shergar Cup Mile (1m)
Two Tribes is set to tackle a mile for the first time at five years of age after a long and busy career that has taken him to 31 starts. He finished strongly when stepping up to seven furlongs in a recent big-field contest, demonstrating a sustained late response that gives hope he will stay the round mile.
He was also unfortunate when brought down at the stalls in a recent outing where he had been favourite, an incident that arguably accounts for an underwhelming line on the formbook that day. The combination of proven acceleration and the likely race flow over a mile at Ascot make him one to note.
Racegoers’ take
Saturday’s Shergar Cup provides a compact programme in which late-runners and horses stepping back up in trip could find opportunities. Several of the day’s contenders have shown strong closing speed, while others will be returning to trips more suited to their pedigrees. With a mix of sprint and staying contests, the meeting should offer varied tactical puzzles and a number of compelling storylines for festivalgoers.
