Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup |
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| Saturday 6th August 2016 | |
Rest if the World Edge a Thriller
Final Team Standings:
ROW 68
EUR 65
GIRLS 54
GBI 53
The Rest of the World team secured the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot this afternoon after a thrilling finish to the competition which went right down to the wire.
The Victorious Rest of the World Team
Kenichi Ikezoe, Captain Silvestre de Sousa and Gavin Lerena
Heading into the final race of the day, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint, the Rest of the World team were leading on 63 points, 13 ahead of their nearest rivals Great Britain and Ireland. Europe were languishing on 40 points at the foot of the table but a one-two in the last, courtesy of the Thierry Jarnet-ridden Kadrizzi and Flying Pursuit, the mount of Pierre-Charles Boudot, saw them end the day on 65 points.
However, a fourth placed finish by Kenichi Ikezoe on Suqoor earned the Rest of the World team a valuable five points, which was enough to secure victory. Captain Silvestre de Sousa was delighted with the performance of his team, which won with 68 points, and had particular praise for South African-rider Gavin Lerena, who rode a 285/1 double on the card.
"It was good," said de Sousa.
"I've really enjoyed the day. It's something a bit different and was a big team effort. We had some great riders on our team and it's great to win. I'd met Gavin before today but I hadn't met Kenichi before. Gavin is a brilliant rider and he has showed that this afternoon with two good winners. I'd definitely like to ride in the Shergar Cup again - it's good fun."
Jarnet's victory in the final race means he also rode two winners and Kadrizzi's victory gave the Frenchman a 37.5/1 on the card. It also meant that he finished the day at the top of the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle standings on 38 points, eight ahead of Lerena.
"I am very happy with today," said Jarnet.
"I am delighted to finally ride a winner at Ascot - it's a beautiful racecourse. The ground was perfect and it's fantastic to win the Silver Saddle. It's very nice to come to England and ride at these meetings. The competition is fantastic here and I've really enjoyed it. I'm delighted to have been the top jockey and it's always nice to win any award."
Ikezoe was delighted that his ride gained the 2016 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup for the Rest of the World team. He said: "It is great that my ride in the last has clinched the Shergar Cup."
Gavin Lerena, the most successful member of the Rest of the World team with two winners, declared: "My saddle slipped on my mount in the last but luckily it has not made any difference to the end result.
"I am very, very pleased with the day - we won and I had two winners. Thanks go to Dubai Duty Free for sponsoring the event and to the two others on my team."
JARNET'S DOUBLE GIVES HIM THE SILVER SADDLE
Final Standings Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle:
Thierry Jarnet 38
Gavin Lerena 30
Kenichi Ikezoe 25
Emma-Jayne Wilson 24
Pierre-Charles Boudot 24
Joe Fanning 22
Martin Harley 21
Hayley Turner 20
Silvestre De Sousa 13
Josephine Gordon 10
Oisin Murphy 10
Frankie Dettori 3
Thierry Jarnet's victory in the final race, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint, gave him a 37.5/1 double on the day - and meant that he tops the leaderboard in the Alastair Haggas Silver Saddle with 38 points.
Jarnet, who had never ridden a winner at Ascot before, scored on the Dean Ivory-trained Kadrizzi, having opened the card with success on Arch Villain. Kadrizzi, a 6/1 chance, beat the Tim Easterby-trained Flying Pursuit - ridden by Jarnet's compatriot Pierre-Charles Boudot - into second by two lengths.
"That was a good race," said a delighted Jarnet. "I'm really happy to win and it is great to do well at Ascot. We don't do anything like this in France and it is nice to be involved."
The 15 points Jarnet earned for his win with Kadrizzi meant that Team Europe finished the day in second place - but victory in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup went to the Rest of the World, who scored 68 points. Europe finished on 65 points, while The Girls were third with 54 points, narrowly beating Great Britain and Ireland, who were fourth with 53 points.
South Africa's Gavin Lerena finished second in the individual standings, with 30 points to former French champion jockey Jarnet's 38. Japanese jockey Kenichi Ikezoe was third on 25 points, while Emma-Jayne Wilson, from Canada, was the leading female rider in fourth with 24 points.
BOUDOT PLACED AGAIN
French jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot filled the placings for the third time today after the Tim Easterby-trained Flying Pursuit (11/4 favourite) finished a two-length second to 6/1 shot Kadrizzi in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint Handicap, the concluding race of the day.
Having travelled well in midfield throughout the six-furlong sprint, Boudot took up the lead approaching the final furlong but was caught by his team-mate Alistair Haggis "Silver Saddle" victor Thierry Jarnet aboard Dean Ivory's Kadrizzi inside the final furlong. The result provided Team Europe with a 1-2 in the race to finish an agonising three points behind 2016 Shergar Cup winners Rest of the World who took the crown with 68 points.
Boudot said: "We had a perfect race. He is a very nice horse and he was very courageous for me throughout the race. He has gone on to take a nice place there."
The Frenchman was also delighted to have taken part in the event. He remarked: "The day has been perfect. Ascot is a very nice place and I have enjoyed it."
Girls' Captain Emma-Jayne Wilson finished a three and three-quarter third on Muhadathat for Mark Johnston who picked up well in the closing stages. The Girls team were unable to retain their Shergar Cup crown this time around finishing third on 54 points, one ahead of last-placed Great Britain and Ireland.
Wilson said: "She ran very well. Probably five furlongs is her better trip. The way she finished the race, her effort was very solid and you might think that six furlongs might be better for her. However, I just think she likes that shorter distance over five furlongs which can compress her effort."
Reflecting on this year's Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, Wilson was delighted for Hayley Turner to ride a winner, having come out of retirement, and was pleased with the performance of her team.
Wilson remarked: "It's been another fantastic year for The Girls team. For Hayley to come out of retirement and have a winner and prove the sceptics wrong was great.
"I didn't quite have the Shergar Cup I was hoping for but I've been blessed to have stayed safe and all my horses have run solid efforts and they have all come home happy.
"It's good to keep it mixed up in the standings. We are at the top of the world here with the best jockeys taking part. It was going to be competitive and it was again this year."
HAYLEY WINS RIDE OF THE DAY
Hayley Turner, who returned to race riding especially for the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup today, won the Dubai Duty Free Ride of the Day Award.
Judged by former top Flat jockeys Joe Mercer and John Reid, she took the trophy for her winning ride on Early Morning in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile.
Turner said: "It has been a great day and all my family are here."
