Ireland fight back to snatch Shergar Cup hat-trick
Winners from Fran Berry and Colm O’Donoghue inspired Ireland to a late comeback in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot.
The team jockey competition has now been secured by the Irish for the last three years but they had to wait until the very last race to pass Great Britain and the Rest of the World.
Only the captain Richard Hughes failed to make the scoresheet, with the decisive moment coming in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint when Berry and Morache Music (6-1) led home O’Donoghue and Desert Law.
This meant Ireland finished on 70 points, Britain on 63, the Rest of the World on 57 and Europe on 50.
Paul Hanagan’s third place on Firebeam, added to a winner in the opening race, allowed the champion jockey and British captain to win the Silver Saddle as the top rider.
“That was a good way to end the day,” said Berry.
“I think Richard was fifth and Colm was second so when we were pulling up we were doing our sums and we thought we’d got it.
“I had a great day here last year and I’d like to thank Ascot for the opportunity to come back. If we could work it out we’d love to do something similar in Ireland as it seems a great way to get new people into racing.”
With cheerleaders and plenty of razzmatazz, the Shergar Cup attracts some derision from within the sport but a young-looking crowd of over 30,000 had made their way to Ascot so Berry’s instincts appeared to be correct.
Ireland’s other winner came from Parlour Games (15-2) in the Titanic Belfast Shergar Cup Classic and it was slightly ironic O’Donoghue’s mount came for Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni, as he usually rides for the team’s great rival Aidan O’Brien.
The chestnut was improving on his earlier form this season as he was driven three-quarters of a length clear of the 4-1 favourite Ithoughtitwasover.
“There are great jockeys from around the world competing today and it’s really nice to be part of it,” said O’Donoghue.
“I spoke to Frankie Dettori about the horse this morning and his advice worked well. It’s about getting in there and getting the job done and I’m happy to ride a winner for the connections.”
Hanagan had made a flying start on his competition debut, helping Godolphin’s Sarrsar (6-1) skip three and a half lengths clear in the Les Ambassadeurs Casino Shergar Cup Mile.
“I was a bit gutted I couldn’t have won the last race for the team but I really enjoyed the day and would love to come back,” he said.
“It’s a privilege to represent your country and the atmosphere was great.”
Japanese wizard Yutaka Take impressed with his hold-up handling of Leg Spinner in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers four years earlier and he was again patient on the Ian Williams-trained Ile De Re (9-2), sweeping in front with a furlong to run and holding on by a length from Hanagan and Woolfall Treasure.
“The plan was to ride him in a similar way to Leg Spinner,” said Take. “He ran very free and I was quite tired after the race, but was very happy to win.”
The grey is new to Williams’ care from Freddie Head in France and his representative Kevin Frost said: “Yutaka gave him a brilliant ride and depending on whether he gets in, the Ebor would be an obvious race. He just doesn’t want fast ground.”
Sponsors Betfred cut him to 16-1 from 25s for the York handicap.
Take’s Rest of the World colleague Hugh Bowman guided Dungannon (7-2) to success in the Barclays Shergar Cup Dash.
Andrew Balding’s sprinter had fewer miles on the clock than most of the others and the field parted perfectly to allow him to steam through approaching the final furlong, although the unlucky-looking Medicean Man closed to a neck.
“You always need a bit of luck in those races and he does need everything to drop right, but Hugh gave him a lovely ride,” said Balding.
“The Portland at Doncaster would be the right race now.”
The European team’s one winner came when Mirco Demuro and Averroes (11-2) took the Michael Page International Shergar Cup Challenge Handicap.
Trainer Clive Cox said: “You don’t need to worry about the jockey as they are all among the best in the world.
“Mirco held him up and followed instructions perfectly. The horse is now off to race in Abu Dhabi so it’s nice he signed off with a win.