THE 2025 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot delivered everything fans have come to expect from this unique team-based international racing event: competitive racing, jockeyship honed around the world but rarely seen on British soil, a hint of team tactics at play, and a tense finish before new boys Team Asia (consisting of captain Suraj Narredu, Ryusei Sakai and Mirai Iwata) were confirmed the winners by a single point over Europe.

With no “Ladies” grouping, but female jockeys represented on three of the four teams - Asia, Europe, Great Britain & Ireland, and Rest of the World - the six races provided a different sort of trat to the average meeting, with intrigue holding the spectators until the close of play.

Australian jockey Hugh Bowman, riding for the Rest of the World, claimed the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle for top individual rider with 32 points. It was his second Silver Saddle win in three appearances, cementing his reputation as one of finest and most consistent big-event riders in the world.

This was a third win in the Shergar Cup win for 44-year-old Bowman, who first competed in the event in 2007 when he captained the Rest of the World team to victory and earned his first Silver Saddle.

“It’s been a good afternoon,” Bowman said. “It’s my second Silver Saddle, actually, so it’s a lovely afternoon.

“I’m very proud to have won the Silver Saddle again,” he added, “and it’s great to see the racegoers come and support the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, because it is an annual event, it is recognised globally, and it’s great to be a part of it.”

Set his stall

In the opening Shergar Cup Dash, Bowman set his stall out with victory on the Richard Fahey-trainer Vintage Clarets, beating Vespasian (Simon & Ed Crisford) for Ryusei Sakai and Asia.

The RoW’s good start was cemented with a third-place finish for Karis Teetan aboard Kevin Ryan’s Venture Capital.

Race two was the Shergar Cup Stayers, and Narredu gained the prize for “ride of the day” wit a well-judged effort on Fireblade (Dylan Cunha) who was ridden to pounce on the home turn after Almuhit (Faye Bramley/Karis Teetan) had set just a moderate pace.

The latter held second to shore up the RoW’s position, ahead of Europe’s Artisan Dancer (Charlie Johnston/Per Anders Graberg)

The Shergar Cup Challenge over a mile and a half gave Britain & Ireland a chance to shine, with Aussie ex-pat Robbie Dolan riding Night Breeze (Ian Williams) to victory, with teammate Jo Mason third on Insanity (Alan King). The pair were split by Hugh Bowman on La Pulga.

Dolan, best known for his success in the 2024 Melbourne Cup, delivered a perfectly timed run aboard Night Breeze after Bowman and La Pulga led most of the way, winning by just half a length.

Next up was the Shergar Cup Sprint (six furlongs), which saw Ryusei Sakai gain a first win in Britain, with the Japanese jockey guiding Prince Of India (Marco Botti) to an impressive win under top-weight.

The winner had to be reshod at the start but seemed unflustered and came with a sustained run from off the pace to beat Ireland’s Milford (Julie Camacho/Hollie Doyle) and Flash Harry (Clive Cox/Delphine Santiago), representing Europe.

The penultimate race on the day was the Shergar Cup Classic for three-year-olds over a mile and a half, and victory went the way of Tenability (William Haggas) with Delphine Santiago heading Europe team captain Dario di Tocco on Team Player (Gemma Tutty) close home to give the team maximum points in the contest and set up a thrilling finale. Allthough Europe also took the Shergar Cup Mile with Ebt’s Guard (William Muir & Chris Grassick/Per Anders Graberg), the second-place finish of Cerulean Bay (David O’Meara/Mirai Iwata) was enough to clinch victory for Team Asia.

NOT everyone was in favour of losing the Ladies’ Team from the Shergar Cup, with Maureen Haggas making a point of mentioning the change, but I’ve long maintained that the position of women in racing, where they must compete on level terms in all areas, is not helped by being classified as either “Girls” or “Ladies” as this competition has patronisingly done in the past.

There can be little argument that female jockeys deserve representation, but they can manage that through merit in the teams that currently exist, and the three women who rode at the weekend, Hollie Doyle, Delphine Santiago and Jo Mason, did so with credit.

For me, the team changes have been positive, and while not necessarily representing the top jockeys in the world, they have allowed serious talent to be showcased that British and Irish audiences would tend to miss otherwise.

Detractors

The Shergar Cup has its detractors and there is little doubt that it hasn’t got every aspect of the concept right from day one, but it has built up a following among generic sports fans and families and it falls on a weekend when the racing product – falling between Goodwood and York’s Ebor meeting – has little to offer hardcore fans.

Would I make it my primary destination if I had one race day available in the summer? Not very likely, but would I take my children there to enhance their enjoyment of a sport they currently have just a passing interest in?

Absolutely, and that encapsulates the appeal of the raceday, which is currently hitting its brief perfectly.