UK. Dubai Duty Free has gathered over 27,500 spectators to witness the Ladies jockey team defend their Shergar Cup title for a second year in a row at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday (10 August).
The event, the second most popular race day at the famous racecourse, attracted the biggest attendance outside of the Royal Meeting, enhancing the travel retailer’s profile and promoting Dubai as a premier destination.
A record cash prize of £500,000 (US$638,000) across six races secured strong support from many of the sport’s most popular owners and trainers, drawing a star-studded line-up of domestic and international riders.
Teams of four riders each represented Ladies, Great Britain & Ireland, Europe and Rest of the World.
This year marked the first time the world’s prestigious jockeys’ competition featured equal male and female representation, with the Rest of the World team comprising women jockeys from Australia, Japan and South Africa.
The winning team, led by Hayley Turner with Rachel Venniker and Jo Mason, secured 71 points. The Ladies’ team captain, who reached her 1,000th win last month, stood out as the event’s most successful participant ahead of the 2024 edition, leading both winners and points scored in her 16-year participation.
Dubai Duty Free Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi said: “Once again the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup has delivered thrilling racing and truly international competition.
“Hayley’s contribution to the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup and the promotion of female riders in the sport has been outstanding and I congratulate her and also thank all those who took part for making this a truly memorable event.”
South Africa’s only professional female rider and Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup debutante Venniker won the opener, the five-furlong Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash.
The next race, the two-mile Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers, was the longest of the day with Turner steering Ranch Hand to victory.
Ranch Hand’s trainer Andrew Balding, who took over at Kingsclere from his father Ian, lauded Turner for her performance. He said: “She comes down every week to ride work and I’ve found a good few opportunities for her to ride the lighter weights. Ranch Hand was carrying the burden of 9st 11lb – but it’s hard to stop Hayley at this meeting.”
Another female rider from the Rest of the World team Australian-based Rachel King on Insanity won the next race, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge, earning her the Dubai Duty Free Ride of the Day award.
King showed her best performance to win the battle against Spanish rider Jose-Luis Borrego, who rode Dream Harder.
The Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic was won by Kazakhstan jockey Bauyrzhan Murzabayev on Going Remote.
Billy Loughnane, the youngest and tallest rider among all the racers, finished first in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint. He followed up his Royal Ascot wins with a straightforward victory for Great Britain & Ireland on Jarraaf, owned by H.H Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The concluding race, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile, secured the Ladies team’s thrilling victory. Coming from last place, Turner got up in the final stride aboard New Image to pip her teammate Joanna Mason. Their combined efforts took their team to their fourth Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup victory in six years with Turner securing the Silver Saddle Trophy. ✈
