Dettori to skipper Europe in final Shergar Cup

PA Sport Staff
July 20, 2023 9:19 am

Vincent Ho, Oliver Peslier and Joao Moreira also involved.

Frankie Dettori will captain team Europe as he partakes in his final Shergar Cup at Ascot in August.

The event will be Dettori’s 12th appearance at the meeting, having been on the winning team three times.

Having first taken part in 2000, Dettori was most recently successful in 2014 and will join French rider Olivier Peslier and Kazakh-born Bauyrzhan Murzabayev on team Europe.

Dettori said: “The Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup is always a fun event and I was keen to be involved in my final year riding.

“Ascot does an excellent job attracting some of the biggest names from around the world, while the prize money and incentives for owners, trainers and stable staff are fantastic.

Dettori (far right) at the 2022 Shergar Cup (John Walton/PA)

“I like the look of our team. Myself and Olivier were on the winning side in 2014 and hopefully we can repeat the feat this year.”

GB & Ireland will be led by Luke Morris, who won last season’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Alpinista, with Tom Marquand and Declan McDonogh joining him.

Hong Kong star Vincent Ho returns as captain of Rest of the World alongside Brazilian jockey Joao Moreira and Kazuo Yokoyama, a multiple Group One winner in his native Japan.

Hayley Turner, the most successful rider in Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup history and twice a winner of the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle, heads up the Ladies team.

Hollie Doyle is set to make her third appearance at the event, fresh from riding three winners at Royal Ascot, while Saffie Osborne makes her debut in the competition.

Hollie Doyle and Tis Marvellous winning at the event in 2018 (Julian Herbert/PA)

Nick Smith, director of racing and public affairs at Ascot, said: “With the continued support of Dubai Duty Free, we are delighted to unveil one of our strongest and most varied line-ups of jockeys for this year’s Shergar Cup.

“Frankie is captaining Europe as part of his farewell tour, while it’s great to welcome back Vincent Ho, who has made such an impression when riding in the UK previously.

“We are also excited to have Joao Moreira pencilled in for his third Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup appearance, in what could be his final year in the saddle. There will be debuts for Bauyrzhan Murzabayev, Luke Morris, Tom Marquand, Saffie Osborne and Kazuo Yokoyama.

“Of course, no Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup would be complete without Hayley Turner, who has such a tremendous record at Ascot and is synonymous with this event.”