Its All About The Girls At Ascot

[Wandering Eyes]

It was ladies’ day at the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot on Saturday when the overall team prize went to the ‘Girls’ team of Hayley Turner, Hollie Doyle and Josephine Gordon. For good measure Hayley Turner also clinched the Silver Saddle award, beating Joe ‘Magic Man’ Moreira by just a point. The winning team got of to a flier when Hollie Doyle steered Tis Marvellous (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) to victory in the opening dash with Hayley Turner grabbing third place but team Europe fought back in the next when Per-Anders Graberg partnered Cleonte (Ire) (Sir Percy {GB}) to victory in the stayers race. That was the first of three winners on the card for trainer Andrew Balding and he provided Team Europe with another winner when Genetics (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}) and Andrasch Starke routed their opponents by twelve lengths in the Challenge over a mile and a half. A second and third for team captain Josephine Gordon and Hollie Doyle in that contest gave the girls a narrow advantage and they consolidated that in the next when Hayley Turner drove Via Serendipity (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) home in front in the Shergar Cup Mile for trainer Stuart Williams. Going into the final two races Team Europe sat in second with a significant points gap back to Great Britain & Ireland and Rest Of World. Joe Moreira did his bit for his Rest of World side when guiding Andrew Balding’s third winner Berkshire Blue (Ire) (Champs Elysees {GB}) home narrowly in the Classic and the Japan bound supremo again proved his worth when winning the

final contest the sprint on Green Power (GB) (Kheleyf) for trainer John Gallagher. Hayley Turner’s second place finish aboard Roundhay Park (GB) (Mayson {GB}) was enough for her to clinch the Silver Saddle prize for the day’s leading jockey and she commented, “I’ve been coming to the Shergar Cup for 12 years now and it is a very special day. The progression of female jockeys is something that is really being pushed and discussed, and this is a fine example of how well girls can do in racing. It’s been a fantastic day. The whole family is here and they are having the best day ever.” Despite not getting her head in front on the day the winning team captain Josephine Gordon was in celebratory mood and said, “Today’s been really good fun and it’s one of the best days of the year. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed our day and it’s great to win. It’s back to reality tomorrow though as I’m at Windsor, but I’m on a bit of a high right now.”

 

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