THE Shergar Cup seems to polarise opinion every year. True, it is a little odd to watch horses, with whom you have come to identify, racing in silks with which you do not associate them, and the day does not have a King George or a Champion Stakes or a Gold Cup jewel.

But the races are good and competitive, the international jockeys bring an interesting dimension, and an event that gets the masses to go racing is surely a good thing.

The racing is characteristically competitive through the day, but Machine Learner has lots in his favour in the Challenge, the 12-furlong contest. Joe Tuite’s horse probably put up the best performance his life when he won a handicap over a mile and six furlongs at Ascot last month.

Held up through the early stages of the race that day, he was still second last of the eight runners as they started to turn for home. He made relatively easy progress up the inside early in the home straight though, he hit the front at the furlong pole, and he stayed on well to win by a length and a half, probably with more than the official margin in hand.

They went a fair pace that day, but the pace appeared to hold up well. The runner-up, White Desert, led from flagfall, while the third and fourth raced prominently early on.

It probably wasn’t an advantage to be held up early on, as Machine Learner was. Also, the form of the race is working out well, with the third horse, Alqamar, going down by just a short-head to Speedo Boy in another handicap at Ascot on King George weekend, and the fourth horse, Star Of The East, easily landing a four-runner handicap at Newmarket on the same weekend.

The handicapper raised Machine Learner by 5lbs for that win, to a mark of 92, which is a career-high mark. He is five years old, and he does not obviously have potential for progression, but that win was a career-best, and the style and form suggests that there is more to come.

That race was over a mile and six furlongs, and he stayed it well, but he has the pace to be effective over a mile and a half too. And it is a positive that he is back at Ascot.

It is also a positive that Fran Berry has drawn him. Berry rides Ascot well and he seems to excel on Shergar Cup day. And it is a bonus that he has already ridden Machine Learner, even if the Sir Percy gelding did run below par at Ascot in May on the only occasion on which today’s rider has ridden him.

He didn’t run after that May race until he went back to Ascot last month and won that one-mile-six-furlong handicap. He was obviously given time by his trainer to recover from whatever it was that was at the root of that disappointing performance in May, and he could improve from his latest run.

He appears to be an improved horse since he joined Joe Tuite at the start of last season, and there is every chance that he can continue his progression today.

INTERESTING

Poet’s Society is interesting in the Mile. Mark Johnston’s horse ran a cracker in the Golden Mile at Goodwood last Friday in finishing second behind Seniority. He was well drawn that day, but he raced handily in a race that was probably run to suit the hold-up horses. He kept on well after he was passed by the winner to retain second place.

The worry he has disappointed on the two occasions on which he has raced at Ascot. Today’s race is over the round mile, and both of his disappointing runs at Ascot were on the straight track, over six furlongs in September last year and over seven furlongs in the Victoria Cup this year. And he was a big price for both. Even so, Ascot is a strong horses-for-courses track, and two poor runs there from two attempts is not ideal.

What’s The Story is more interesting at a bigger price. Keith Dalgleish’s horse ran into traffic in the Colm Quinn BMW Mile at Galway when he was starting to stay on, so you can easily allow him that run. His form in England before that was nicely progressive.

Winner of a one-mile handicap at Newcastle in early June off a mark of 93, he ran a big race in the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot off a mark of 98 to finish fourth behind Settle For Bay. That is his only run to date at Ascot, and it was probably a career-best.

He didn’t run badly either in the John Smith’s Cup at York on his last run before Galway, he travelled well into the home straight just behind the leaders, but the extended 10-furlong trip probably stretched his stamina.

He should be happier back over a mile today, and he is nicely drawn in stall one. He is only four, and he has the potential to progress beyond today’s handicap rating of 98, the mark off which he ran so well in the Hunt Cup.

RECOMMENDED

MACHINE LEARNER, 9/2 (generally) Ascot 1 point win,

WHAT’S THE STORY, 9/1 (generally) Ascot 1 point win,