SOME of the world’s best jockeys will line up at Ascot this Saturday for Flat racing’s annual team competition, the Shergar Cup.
This year’s edition looks a high-class one, with the decision to move the Curragh’s Group One Phoenix Stakes to Sunday meaning that both Ryan Moore and Dylan Browne McMonagle are free to compete.
Along with Saffie Osborne they form the Great Britain and Ireland team that will compete against teams Europe, the Rest of the World and a first for this year, a Hong Kong team.
This will also mark the first time the six races on the card have been part of World Pool, the Hong Kong Jockey Club-powered global betting pools.
UK punters can access World Pool by betting via the Tote, offering exceptional value with a Tote guarantee to match SP, while winners frequently return at bigger prices than with fixed odds operators.
The nature of the Shergar Cup means that this is one of the most difficult weekends to take an ante-post view, with trainer’s running plans often not clear until the last moment and jockeys assigned by random ballot.
Watch out later in the week for more online columns offering up World Pool selections once final fields are known, but for now I’m happy to chance a few likely contenders.
In the opening Shergar Cup Dash (1.35pm), TWILIGHT CALLS appeals as a consistent type that comes here on the back of wins at Newmarket and Goodwood.
He has won both of those races by a head, meaning the handicapper hasn’t had a chance to raise him too much in the weights, and five pounds for his latest win still leaves him feasibly handicapped.
Trainer Richard Spencer excels in these sprint handicaps, and I think a price of 5/1 about his contender is more than fair.
In the same race, keep an eye on Apollo One, who typically runs well at Ascot and has dropped to a very dangerous handicap mark.
THUNDER CALL is an appealing proposition in the Shergar Cup Sprint (3.20pm).
William Haggas’ three-year-old has a progressive profile, winning his first two starts this season at Kempton and York before finishing third when last seen in a competitive Newmarket handicap.
He didn’t really get the run of the race there, when locked away behind rivals entering the final two furlongs, but finished strongly once in the clear.
The first two home that day both raced prominently, so it looks an effort that can be marked up, and the runner-up has gone on to bolt up in a Chester handicap and then finish a narrow second in Listed company, so the form looks strong.
While Thunder Call might be better suited to seven furlongs now, this stiff six with a good pace to aim at could be ideal.
He’s also entered in a handicap at Newmarket on Saturday, but this race is much more valuable so I think he could take his chance, and he is worth siding with at 5/1.
Last year’s Shergar Cup Challenge (2.45pm) was won by NIGHT BREEZE with Insanity back in third.
Both should be involved in the finish if allowed to take their chance, and, at around 11/2, I narrowly prefer Ian Williams’ six-year-old who hasn’t finished outside the frame in his last four starts.
He was seen keeping on to finish third over 10 furlongs at Goodwood last week, and while this is a quick turnaround, he could go a few places better now back up to 12 furlongs.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Twilight Calls e/w 1.35pm Ascot
Night Breeze e/w 2.45pm Ascot
Thunder Call e/w 3.20pm Ascot
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