Haley to captain Great Britain.

Hayley Turner unveiled as Shergar Cup captain


HAYLEY TURNER will lead the home challenge in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot on Saturday after being confirmed as the captain of the Great Britain side.

She will be joined by Alan Munro and Darryll Holland for the four team competition against Ireland, Europe and the Rest Of The World.

Frankie Dettori is expected to captain the European team which features Gerald Mosse and Andrasch Starke, unless he is riding elsewhere for Godolphin. Should that happen Swedish rider Fredrik Johansson will step in.


Ahmed Ajtebi will captain the Rest Of The World side consisting of Malesh Narredu and Hiroyuki Uchida and the Ireland side will feature Neil Callan and Seamie Heffernan with Richard Hughes captaining.

For the first time this year each win will be accompanied by a team anthem. ‘English' winners will be greeted by Made In England by Elton John,‘Irish' winners by The Dubliners' Irish Rover, ‘European' winners by Girls Aloud's Can't Speak French and Jai Ho sung by the Pussycat Dolls will welcome a ‘Rest Of The World' winner.

Ascot's PR Manager, Karen Smith said: "We will have eight cheerleaders changing into the winning team's colours as the horses pass the post after each race and dancing to the anthems as the winning horse appears in the winners' enclosure.

"There will also be a separate anthem, the ever popular cheerleading chant, "Hey Mickey", played just before the horses come out on to the track, to which the cheerleaders will dance on the grandstand lawn."

Home team fancied to shake up Shergar Cup


HAYLEY TURNER captains the British team in Ascot's Shergar Cup for the second consecutive year on Saturday and is expected to make her mark in the competition yet again.


Turner first made her mark aboard 33-1 shot Relative Order in the Juvenile event two years ago, and believes Great Britain has a live chance with team-mate Darryll Holland now the 5-1 favourite to walk away this year's leading jockey.

"I'm very excited and looking forward to it. I think it's been a really big help for my career," she said.

"I think the first win helped to raise my profile and then I had another good win on Gee Dee Nen last year.

"We have Jason Weaver picking our rides and Darryll Holland and Alan Munro are on the team. It's brilliant to have them and we'd be hoping for a winner or two."

Ladbrokes cut Turner to 8-1 from 9-1 to land the leading rider's Silver Saddle at the meeting, with Holland cut to 5-1 favouritism, also from 9-1.

With the wet weather initiating a spate of non-runners, Irish team captain Richard Hughes, who opened as the firm's 5-1 top choice, has been eased eased to 11-2.

David Williams of Ladbrokes said: "All the early money has been for the home team and the Irish have slipped accordingly. Going into the meeting, we'll take anyone apart from the Brits.

"Richard Hughes doesn't appear to have been dealt the kindest hand with the reserves coming in. By contrast, Darryll Holland has been far and away the most popular pick for the Silver Saddle.

"On a truly international day at Ascot, it's Holland whom we fear the most."

Racing is poor every where today!!!

Must say racing a bit flat.

Winning team, GB 2/1, Ireland 2/1, Europe 5/1 Rest of the World 5/1

Newmarket: Long Lashes and Manifest
Redcar: Ordoney

If punting? good punting.

Dave the racing manager to Godolphin has just emailed the Morning line saying Long Lashes has shown signs of coming into season this morning,but she is going to take her place..

Thanks Hibby, you in the bookies today? watch you dont fall asleep.

Quite embarracing only working 7 hours this week,aint it?

A productive 7 hours is better than a 40 hr non productive week.

Just lay my fancies and you will have a good day.

Double: Battle Maiden at Newmarket onto Emirates Sports at Redcar

I see Hughes had a blinder and Godolphin's filly wasn't bothered by her, um, girl issues!

Ireland romp to victory in Shergar Cup


IT was an afternoon to remember for Richard Hughes and the Irish team, as a total of four victories from the six races staged saw them cruise to success in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, with the luxury of a race to spare.

Hughes, who rode a 377-1 treble on the card, courtesy of Polly's Mark, We'll Come and Press The Button, also claimed the Silver Saddle leading jockey award with an impressive haul of 49 points.

Team mate Neil Callan also weighed in with a win on Aaim To Prosper, giving the Irish team a total of 101 points, 45 clear of Great Britain, who finished second. It wasn't until thelast race that the home crowd had a winner to cheer home, as captain Hayley Turner got up on Noverre To Go, and the opening contest went to European captain Fredrik Johansson and Group Therapy, but for the rest of the day Irish eyes were smiling in the winner's enclosure.

Hughes was winning the leading rider competition for the second time since the event's inception. Turner and Johansson shared second place with 30 points, while Neil Callan was third on 29 points.

Selector for Team Ireland was Racing Post chief correspondent James Willoughby, and he was understandably delighted with the performance of the team and Richard Hughes.

He said: "The thing I'm really going to take out of today is what a giant of a man Richard Hughes is. At the moment he is on really good terms with himself. His weight is under control he's playing a lot of golf, he's relaxed and he's just been sensational."

Team Standings
Ireland 101 points
Great Britain 56 points
Europe 52 points
Rest of the World 47 points

Individual Standings
Richard Hughes 49 points
Hayley Turner, Fredrik Johansson 30 points
Neil Callan 29 points