Ryan Moore made a winning return to the Shergar Cup at Ascot, producing a brace of victories to help Team Great Britain & Ireland secure the team crown while also finishing the leading rider of the day.
Team victory and individual honours
Team Great Britain & Ireland topped the Shergar Cup standings with 81 points, ahead of Team Hong Kong on 62. Moore’s contribution of 47 points was enough to secure the Silver Saddle as the meeting’s leading rider, adding to the team success.
Two big rides for Moore
Moore opened his account aboard Asgard’s Captain in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge. The 13-2 shot, trained by Dylan Cunha, held on to win by a length and a quarter, providing Moore with a confident start to his Shergar Cup comeback.
He doubled up in the penultimate contest, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic, partnered to victory on Archers Bay for Marco Botti. The 5-2 favourite produced a decisive finish to win by three-and-a-quarter lengths, having earlier campaigned in the Italian Derby this season.
Contributions across the teams
Team Great Britain & Ireland’s line-up also featured Saffie Osborne, who added a win in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint aboard Red Spells Danger for Tim Easterby. Osborne, who captains the side alongside Moore and Dylan Browne McMonagle, had been a leading rider in the Racing League earlier in the season.
Team Hong Kong set the early pace in the meeting, taking the first two races on the card. Jerry Chau gave the visitors a flying start when Tuco Salamanca produced an impressive turn of foot to win the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash. Chau’s performance was followed by Luke Ferraris partnering Dancing In Paris to victory in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers, delivering a strong late run to prevail.
Other notable performances
- In the closing Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile, Moore finished third aboard Ozat while Crown Board claimed the prize for Team Europe.
- Archers Bay’s Classic success emphasised the strength of the international line-up: the horse had previously run in the Italian Derby and proved a step above the opposition at Ascot.
The meeting showcased a blend of established riders returning to the Shergar Cup and younger talents making their mark in the unique team format. Team Hong Kong, making a strong impression in its Cup debut, demonstrated depth with early victories and competitive rides throughout the card.
Ascot atmosphere and festival significance
The Shergar Cup remains one of the highlights of the Ascot season, presenting a team-based contest that brings a distinct flavour to the racecourse calendar. The format, which pitches regional teams and an individual riders’ challenge against each other over six races, continues to attract top jockeys and varied international participation.
For Moore, the day provided a chance to return to Ascot’s team meeting after a lengthy absence and to add both personal and team honours to his seasonal record. For Ascot and racegoers, the Shergar Cup again combined competitive racing with a festival atmosphere and international interest.
With the curtain drawn on this year’s event, attention will now move on to the remainder of the summer festival calendar at Britain’s premier tracks, where many of the connections represented at Ascot will be preparing for the next targets of the season.
