Shergar Cup: Get to know this 12 months’s star jockeys for Ascot contest

This 12 months’s Shergar Cup at Ascot will see the groups cut up evenly between female and male jockeys for the primary time, with six of every concerned in Saturday’s showdown, dwell on Sky Sports activities Racing.

Remainder of the World

Rachel King (captain)

King, who had a restricted profession as an beginner jockey in England and at one time was racing secretary for Clive Cox, packed her baggage simply over 10 years in the past to go to Australia. She is now thought of one of many main lights in a Sydney jockeys room that boasts world-class expertise, together with James McDonald, Nash Rawiller and Tom Berry.

She gained the 2016/17 metropolitan apprentice title in Sydney, rode a career-high 113 winners within the 2020/21 season and has now recorded 642 winners, together with 5 Group Ones. Earlier this 12 months King did a brief stint in Japan the place she marked a big milestone, turning into the primary overseas feminine rider to win a graded Japan Racing Affiliation Flat race, steering Chuck Nate to victory within the Group Two American Jockey Membership Cup.

Rachel shall be making her second go to to Ascot this 12 months having gone shut when runner-up within the Sandringham Stakes on the 33/1 probability Strutting for John and Thady Gosden on the Royal Assembly after suspending her honeymoon to take the journey.

Nanako Fujita

In 2019 Nanako turned the primary Japanese girl to compete in a Group One race when ending fifth on Capano King within the February Stakes, and adopted that up by turning into the primary residence feminine rider to win a Graded race in Japan when capturing the Group Three Capella Stakes on the identical horse.

Nanako, who has recorded 165 profession winners, gained the third version of the Ladies’s Jockey World Cup at Bro Park in Sweden when she took out two of the 5 races and shall be making her second go to to Ascot having secured 9 factors for the Women staff within the 2019 Shergar Cup. She shall be hoping to associate her first winner at this 12 months’s occasion.

Rachel Venniker

Venniker claimed the South African apprentice title in 2021/22 with 70 wins and once more in 2022/23 with 107 wins. She has recorded greater than 250 profession winners in double fast time.

Now a fully-fledged rider, Rachel celebrated the tip of her apprenticeship when profitable a leg of the Saudi Worldwide Problem Stakes at Riyadh earlier this 12 months, which was her first journey away from South Africa. Venniker then turned the primary girl to journey in South Africa’s largest race, the Durban July final month, and completed a really respectable tenth within the recently-completed (August 2023 to July 2024) South African jockeys’ title race with 73 winners.

Women

Hayley Turner (captain)

Hayley, who recorded her 1,000th UK winner final month, is among the most well-known feminine jockeys to have ever donned a set of silks. Since her first journey 24 years in the past, she has been breaking information, paving the best way to make sure feminine riders have rightfully been accepted because the equal of their male counterparts.

In 2005 she was joint champion apprentice. Three years later she turned the primary feminine jockey to journey 100 winners in a calendar 12 months in Britain after which in 2011 she turned the primary feminine rider to win a home Group One outright. In 2016 she was appointed an OBE for her companies to horse racing. In 2019 she turned simply the second feminine jockey to journey a winner at Royal Ascot.

Given her unimaginable profession, it ought to come as no shock that Hayley is the all-time main rider on the Shergar Cup with 9 wins from 16 appearances and a double winner of the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle (2018 and 2019) because the main rider. Hayley has been part of 4 profitable Women groups and was the captain when the Women have been profitable final 12 months.

Though she doesn’t have the variety of rides she as soon as did, Hayley has recorded 21 winners (at time of writing) in Britain alone this 12 months, and her love affair at Ascot contains the entire above accomplishments on this occasion, and 4 winners on the Royal assembly, the most recent of which was Docklands in final 12 months’s Britannia Stakes.

Joanna Mason

Granddaughter of legendary coach Mick Easterby and born right into a racing household, Joanna was certain to be a jockey, perhaps even earlier than she knew so herself. The lady from Malton in North Yorkshire was sitting on horses earlier than she may stroll, so it’s no shock she went into pony membership (Middleton), earlier than driving point-to-points (48 wins) and as an beginner on the Flat (46 wins), together with an astonishing 4 wins within the house of 5 years on Tapis Libre within the Women Day Handicap (beginner girls Derby) at Epsom.

Though Covid-19 was an terrible time for the business, it did present a change in course for Joanna who, regardless of a extremely profitable beginner profession, determined to go skilled resulting from amateurs not being allowed to journey on the time. There was no wanting again. Joanna has now ridden 216 winners, completed third within the 2023 Saudi Cup Worldwide Jockeys Problem, and with 49 winners at time of writing (£19.98 revenue to a £1 stake), 2024 has been her finest 12 months up to now.

Joanna shall be making her second look on the Shergar Cup after being referred to as in as a late substitute for Hollie Doyle in 2022, and she or he definitely delivered on debut, driving her first Ascot winner when profitable on Amanzoe for coach William Haggas, and hitting the body with two of her different rides.

Marie Velon

Marie, who’s a product of the French Racing College and rode her first winner in 2017, shall be making her Shergar Cup debut and having her first journey at Ascot. Nevertheless, as a winner of 495 races at simply 25 years of age, Marie brings loads of expertise to the desk.

France have been gradual out of the blocks in comparison with Nice Britain and Eire in embracing girl riders, however that has been altering lately, thanks largely to the exploits of jockeys of the calibre of Marie, who continues to set information and, within the course of, break down obstacles.

In 2020 Marie turned the primary girl to complete inside the highest 10 of France’s jockey standings, a feat she has matched yearly since. She turned simply the third feminine rider and the primary French girl to journey a Group One winner in France when profitable within the 2022 Prix Royal Oak aboard Iresine, who she would later mix with to take out the Group One Prix Ganay, earlier than occurring to complete a respectful ninth within the Japan Cup behind the native champion Equinox.

Marie had her finest 12 months within the saddle in 2023 when driving 99 winners, breaking a report she had already set, this time for many winners ridden by a feminine jockey. She is heading in the right direction to interrupt that report once more this 12 months having already notched up 62 successes.

Nice Britain and Eire

Tadgh O’Shea (captain)

Tadgh, who shall be making his third Shergar Cup look, was Eire’s champion apprentice in 2001 and 2002 when with Michael Halford, and has recorded 1,115 profession wins (at time of writing), together with six Group Ones. Nevertheless, it’s within the UAE the place the person from Dromahane, County Cork, has excelled throughout his yearly winter visits, with over 800 wins and 12 champion rider titles, making him probably the most profitable jockey of all time within the UAE.

In 2008 Tadgh was appointed second rider for His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, with the proprietor and rider combining to win the Jersey Stakes on the Royal assembly in 2009 with Ouqba for coach Barry Hills. In 2018 Tadgh linked up with the Satish Seemar secure, the place Bhupat Seemar was the assistant coach, and after a stint as retained rider for Nicholas Bouchard the next season, in 2021 Tadgh was appointed the retained rider for Bhupat, who had taken over his uncle’s licence.

The duo have confirmed to be a formidable mixture and this 12 months lit up Dubai World Cup evening when touchdown a Group One double, the Golden Shaheen with Tuz, after which then jewel within the crown, the Dubai World Cup with Laurel River, a win that proved to be one of the crucial common seen within the UAE, thanks largely to the person that calls Dubai his second residence.

Seamie Heffernan

Seamie, who rode his first winner as a 16-year-old in 1988 and shared the Irish champion apprentice title in 1994 when with Jim Bolger, teamed up with Aidan O’Brien at Ballydoyle in 1996, the place he stayed for practically three a long time. Throughout that point Seamie gained most of the massive races all over the world. There are too many to listing all of them, however a few of highlights are 11 Irish Classics, two British Classics, together with the 2019 Derby on Anthony Van Dyck, a Coral-Eclipse, two Worldwide Stakes and the Irish Champion Stakes. Although he has been quoted as saying considered one of his most satisfying wins was his tactical masterpiece on international juggernaut Highland Reel within the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Turf.

A lot to the shock of many, Seamie parted methods with Ballydoyle earlier than the beginning of the present season to go freelance, though each events harassed there had been no falling out and so they hoped to mix sooner or later sooner or later.

Seamie, who has ridden over 1,000 winners together with 36 on the very prime degree, shall be making his second Shergar Cup look having final rode on the occasion again in 2009 when he amassed 23 factors for Crew Eire with out driving a winner. Nevertheless, the skilled veteran is aware of loads in regards to the tactical Ascot structure having ridden 5 winners on the course.

Billy Loughnane

Billy Loughnane, or ‘Billy the Child’ as he’s affectionately recognized, was not even born when his two team-mates have been profitable titles, however he has achieved loads of success in his brief profession, with many predicting the son of Worcestershire-based Irish coach Mark Loughnane is headed to the very prime.

The increase teen was topped Britain’s champion apprentice final 12 months. Billy turned the youngest jockey to journey in a British Traditional because the legendary Lester Piggott in 1951, when ending unplaced in final 12 months’s 1000 Guineas on Candy Concord.

Loughnane has shortly complied 230 profession wins and is at the moment in fifth place on this 12 months’s Nice Britain Flat championship with 51 winners, sitting behind solely Oisin Murphy and Rossa Ryan for many winners (91) ridden general through the present marketing campaign. He shall be making his Shergar Cup debut however shall be buoyed by latest success on the Royal assembly the place he excelled, recording his first two winners on the assembly, Rashabar (80-1) within the Coventry and Soprano (14-1) within the Sandringham Stakes.

Europe

Bauyrzhan Murzabayev (captain)

Bauyrzhan, who has ridden 776 profession winners (at time of writing), is an impressive younger horseman with an enchanting background. Born in Kazakhstan, he rode in long-distance races from the age of simply seven, earlier than driving typical races at Almaty racecourse from the age of 14. He then moved to the Czech Republic the place he was a thrice champion jockey, 2013-2015. From there, he relocated to Germany, and was topped champion jockey on 4 events, 2019-2022, profitable his first Group One aboard Sammarco within the 2022 German Derby for main coach Peter Schiergen.

Schiergen, a extremely profitable rider in his youthful days, was quoted as stating Bauyrzhan is at the moment among the finest jockeys on the earth. It was not lengthy after this that the younger man, who has a behavior of profitable titles wherever he goes, was appointed secure jockey to legendary French coach Andre Fabre, who he rode 35 winners for. Nevertheless, Murzabayev has subsequently relocated again to Germany the place he’s firmly established and continues to journey winners for a number of trainers together with Schiergen.

This shall be Bauyrzhan’s first time driving on the Shergar Cup, however he has proven previously he can modify to new environment shortly. On a short-term go to to Japan in 2022, he was nothing wanting sensational, profitable 21 races from 85 rides, together with a shock Grade One victory on 90-1 shot Dura Erede within the Hopeful Stakes.

Jose-Luis Borrego

Jose-Luis, who is called the ‘Spanish Steve Cauthen’ or ‘El Nino’ (the child) resulting from his youthful appears and comparable driving model, is perhaps making his Shergar Cup debut, however he has lengthy been thought to be considered one of Spain’s main big-race riders and hails from a household steeped in Spanish racing, along with his twin brother, an uncle and three cousins all achieved jockeys.

Borrego had his first journey as an beginner at simply 14 and went on to be Spain’s champion apprentice in 1995 as an 18-year-old. He has ridden 435 winners (400 in Spain and 35 in France) and amongst his 17 native Group Ones are a a number of of Classics, together with the Derby, the 2000 Guineas on two events and the St Leger.

One of many extra unimaginable tales of world racing occurred in Madrid 10 years in the past when Jose-Luis’ mount tripped up innocuously 50 metres from the road and proceeded to roll over him twice. His coronary heart stopped beating for seven minutes regardless of the emergency crew pumping away with most fearing the worst. Nevertheless, he was revived and made a full restoration, and in his thirty fourth 12 months of driving will realise a long-held ambition to journey at Ascot, a venue he considers to be the head of worldwide racing.

Alberto Sanna

Alberto is one other rider making his Shergar Cup debut, however as a a number of Traditional winner at residence in Italy, the place he was additionally champion apprentice, champion jockey in each Bahrain and Qatar and having had a two-year stint in one of many hardest jockey rooms in world racing, Hong Kong, Alberto is a highly-experienced rider with wealth of worldwide expertise.

His profession highlights embrace the German 2000 Guineas on two events, the Italian 2000 Guineas, the Group Three Sa Sa Women Purse in Hong Kong, and a thrice winner of Qatar’s most prestigious thoroughbred race, H H The Amir Trophy, most lately final 12 months aboard the previous Aidan O’Brien-trained Royal Ascot winner Russian Emperor.

Sanna has made simply the one go to to Nice Britain, 20 years in the past when seventh on Zandeed for coach Linda Perratt (paradoxically, two spots behind a rival ridden by Women staff captain Hayley Turner) in a Racing College apprentice handicap at Doncaster. He has made no secret of the very fact he desires to journey the globe as a big-race jockey, and there would no higher springboard to realize that ambition than to journey a winner at arguably probably the most well-known racecourse of all of them.

Watch all of the motion from the Shergar Cup dwell on Sky Sports activities Racing