ASCOT // It was a drizzly day in Berkshire yesterday, but the weather didn't rain on the European team's parade at the entertaining Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, the international jockey's competition. The 12 riders were split into four different teams, Great Britain, Ireland, Europe, and the Rest of the World, and race-goers were treated to a thorough display of contrasting jockeyship.
All the pre-race hullabaloo had centred around the world's two winning-most jockeys, Russell Baze and Jorge Ricardo, but it was their Rest of The World team captain, Yutake Take, who led the way in the first two races. The bookmakers had given little credence to the challenge of Japan's best jockey, making him the outsider of the field to be the day's top rider, but he started off by booting home Strike Up The Band in the first race, the five-furlong sprint.
As soon as the gates opened, the pair sped off to lead, and they beat Europe's Turkish jockey, Halis Karatas, on Fathom Five. Take was understandably delighted afterwards commenting, "I loved the speed in the last furlong." Take, who has not always charmed British racing audiences, showed his versatility in the second race when guiding the top-weight Nans Joy to victory over European captain Gerald Mosse in the distaff. Take stalked the field from the rear this time, but didn't lay down a challenge until midway through the seven-furlong contest. It was a consummate performance from Japan's 17-time champion jockey, and it was interesting to see how low he rode in the saddle compared to the European riders.
Take's two wins shunted the Rest of the World into the lead in the team competition, but it was Mosse who changed the face of the competition. The turning point came in the third race when the stylish Frenchman won the Shergar Cup sprint aboard Shifting Star. He almost won the following race on the card as well, the Stayers handicap, but he was outpointed by Great Britain skipper Hayley Turner, who timed her challenge to perfection on Gee Dee Nen to nail long-time leader Mosse on the line.
The Rest of the World team failed to feature on the scoreboard in either race beyond a mile, with the Stayers handicap and the Shergar Cup Challenge over 1m4f, the fifth race, dominated by the three other teams. Ricardo was the only rider not to pick up any points. Mosse also guided Perfect Star in the final race to win the Silver Saddle trophy for the most points on the day. His two wins, added to team-mate Mirco Demuro's win in the fifth race, contributed to the European team winning with 94 points to the Rest of the World's 57.
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