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| Sumita Pawar |
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Hollie Doyle, Saffie Osborne, and Hayley Turner displayed an exceptional team performance to secure victory in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup for the Ladies at Ascot. As a result of her two victories, Doyle was crowned the leading rider of the event.
The Rest of the World, led by Japanese jockey Kazuo Yokoyama, had a perfect start with a win in the opening Shergar Cup Dash aboard Rogue Lightning. However, despite staying competitive throughout the afternoon and leading going into the final race, the Rest of the World outfit, which also included Matthew Chadwick and Joao Moreira, was ultimately defeated by the Ladies.
Doyle's Double Victory Seals Success
The decisive victory came in the concluding Shergar Cup Sprint, where Osborne rode Ed Walker's 7-2 favorite, Dark Trooper, to first place. Doyle finished fourth with Washington Heights. This victory earned the Ladies a total of 78 points in the final standings, with the Rest of the World trailing behind on 73 points.
Doyle dominated the jockeys' table, claiming the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle with 48 points. Osborne, who also won two races, tied with Chadwick on 30 points.
Doyle's first triumph of the day came with a remarkable last-to-first effort on Jessica Harrington's The Very Man in the Stayers race. She then added another victory in the Classic race, riding the James Tate-trained Regal Empire.
“I haven’t won the Silver Saddle before, so it’s great to have that on my CV!” said a jubilant Doyle.
“I got to ride in the Shergar Cup first when I was an apprentice, and it did let me showcase myself on a wider stage internationally. I rode a winner for Clive Cox, actually, and after that I ended up riding out for him and had quite a few winners for him – I rode him a Listed winner, so something really did come of that opportunity.
“I think it is important in that regard. It’s a very good meeting and Ascot do a great job.”
In contrast to Doyle, Osborne made his debut at the Shergar Cup, and the spectators will surely remember the thrilling finish to the Shergar Cup Challenge. Both riders fiercely competed until the very end.
Ultimately, it was Osborne and Scampi, trained by Andrew Balding, who emerged victorious, narrowly defeating Doyle and Wootton's Sun.
“Hollie said she thought I had won, but I didn’t want to count my chickens!” said Osborne, who has been making a real name for herself in another team competition, the Racing League.
“Hollie’s horse was unbelievably tough, but so was this lad. Andrew filled me with so much confidence.
“To be here is amazing. The Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup is a competition that I watched a lot as a kid and to be on a team with two legends in Hayley and Hollie is really special to me.
“It is a great atmosphere. The Shergar Cup is something that I always came to with dad (Jamie Osborne) in the school holidays when I was little. It is easy to follow, it makes the sport a lot more accessible for a younger generation, and it’s great to be part of it.”
Team captain Turner wasted no time in acknowledging the impressive performances of Doyle and Osborne. The Ladies' team claimed their fourth victory in the last eight Shergar Cup renewals. However, Turner herself was unable to add to her own impressive record total of 322 Shergar Cup points.
She said, “It has been good fun again, it is nice to have all the family here now. This has been the best ladies team we have had, I did not get any points at all, they carried me. It has been great fun.
“I hope I can do this for many years.”