There’s bound to be maximum interest in Saturday’s Shergar Cup fixture at Ascot as some of the best jockeys in the world will be riding at the meeting. In total, there will be four teams with three jockeys each. The teams are: Ireland, Britain, Europe and Rest of the World.
All six races will be televised live on BBC2 and Froissee stands out in the Titanic Quarter Shergar Cup Distaff Handicap.
The four-year-old Froissee, already a winner this season, is trained by Simon Callaghan and she appears quite well treated here on 8-12. In all probability, she should have most to fear from Summer Gold.
Shifting Star meanwhile looks the part in the Porthault Shergar Cup Sprint over six furlongs.
The Walter Swinburn-trained Shifting Star has won his two most recent starts and he should complete a quick hat-trick by getting the better of Spitfire.
Proceedings commence with the Barclays Shergar Cup Dash Stakes and Dandy Nicholls’ Strike Up The Band should attain due reward for his consistency by dismissing Misaro whilst Four Miracles and Colloquial are a likely pair in the Carvill Shergar Cup Stayers Handicap.
Mull Of Dubai should justify the lengthy trek southwards from Tom Tate’s Yorkshire stables by eclipsing Acropolis in the Michael Page International Shergar Cup Challenge Handicap. Whilst advancing in years as a nine-year-old, Ace Of Hearts looks likely to dispose of Gold Sovereign in the closing Lee Ambassadors Club Shergar Cup Mile Handicap.
Also on TV
There will also be televised action from both Haydock and Newmarket. At Haydock, competition is likely to be particularly intense in the Group 3 toteswinger Rose of Lancaster Stakes.
Multidimensional was perhaps a little out of his depth when contesting the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes on his most recent start in early July. It’s to his credit that he still managed to finish a creditable seventh behind Mount Nelson and Henry Cecil’s charge is likely to make the most of a drop down in class by edging out Gulf Express.
Australia Day appears quite well treated in the totescoop6 Heritage Handicap Stakes on 8-9. Already a dual winner for Paul Webber this year, the ex Charles O’Brien-trained Australia Day is likely to have most to fear from Tazeez.
Yamal should attain due reward for his consistency by landing the Angel Handicap from Decameron whilst Ceremonial Jade is likely to return to the coveted number one slot from Idle Power in the coral.co.uk Handicap.
Meanwhile, Rainbow View should continue John Gosden’s excellent season by showing a clean pair of heels to Minor Vamp in the featured Group 3 skybet.com Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket and Alleviate is put forward to score from Four Miracles in the Sky Bet For All Your Football Betting Handicap.
Gold Sovereign, despite being burdened with top-weight of 10-0, is taken to account for Monreale in the Championship Kick Off With Sky Bet Handicap and Blue Sky Basin should have most to fear from Firestreak in the Soccer Saturday Super 6 Handicap.
Kilbeggan
There’s also plenty of domestic racing action over the weekend with Kilbeggan pencilled in to race on Saturday evening whilst enthusiasts can choose between The Curragh and Downpatrick on Sunday.
At Kilbeggan, Super Gale could continue in a victorious vein in the www.hacketts.ie Handicap Chase. The Sneezy Foster-trained Super Gale caused a mild upset by beating a 131-rated opponent in Dark Artist by two and a half lengths in a two mile one furlong chase at Tipperary on July 13th.
As a former winning point-to-pointer, the step up to two and a half miles definitely won’t inconvenience Super Gale and he’s likely to have most to fear from the ultra-consistent Casadei here.
Keaveney stands out in the Kieran Kelly Memorial Beginners Chase, run in memory of the former Cheltenham winning jockey that died as a result of injuries that he sustained in a fall at this same meeting in 2003.
The Willie Mullins-trained Keaveney made an excellent return from a lay off by finishing second to I’m A Witness in a three-mile hurdle at Roscommon on July 8th. Whilst this will be Keaveney’s initial outing over fences, he’s a naturally classy sort that’s expected to account for Day Day.
Beneath The Radar holds an outstanding chance in the Kevin Cooke (C & G) Maiden Hurdle whilst Shaimaa could show a return to her very best form by edging out Hot Oscar in the Ulster Bank Mares Maiden Hurdle.
The Curragh
At The Curragh, Regime looks the part in the featured Group 2 United Arab Emirates Royal Whip Stakes.
Whilst trained in Britain by Michael Bell, Regime is a regular visitor to The Curragh and on his most recent outing, he finished second to Plan in the Group 3 Keeneland International Stakes at ‘Headquarters’ on July 12th when he was conceding all of 13 lbs to Aidan O’Brien’s charge. Significantly, Regime won a Group 3 race over this same course and 10 furlong distance back in May and he’s likely to see off Jim Bolger’s Lancashire Oaks runner-up Ezima here.
John Oxx’s filly Age Of Chivalry will surely herald her arrival as a top-flight sprinter by collecting the Group 3 Patrick P O’Leary Memorial Phoenix Sprint Stakes.
On her most recent outing, Age Of Chivalry went down fighting when finishing an excellent fourth to last year’s Royal Ascot winner Elletelle in a six furlong fillies’ listed race at this same venue on July 27th. The likelihood is that Age Of Chivalry will have most to fear from Benbaun here.
Jim Bolger should continue his vintage campaign by saddling his Royal Ascot winner Cus Ghaire to oblige from Oui Say Oui in the Group 2 Ballygallon Stud Debutante Stakes and Cloone River, a former Galway Hurdle victor, can defy his advancing years by dispensing with My Valley in the closing Race Academy & Centre of Education Reunion Handicap.
Downpatrick
At Downpatrick, Fingers must be alluded to as virtual banker material in the Pat O’Hare Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle.
Fingers, a former winning point-to-pointer, posted an effort rich in promise by finishing a creditable third to subsequent Ballinrobe scorer Fortune Seeker on his most recent start in a two and a half mile Killarney maiden hurdle last month.
Whilst this will be Fingers’ initial start in handicap company, he seems a naturally progressive sort and it will come as a major surprise if Kevin O’Brien’s charge fails to account for Haiban.
Posthouse Lady could spring a mild surprise by beating Conker Nails in the Pat O’Hare Bookmakers Mares Maiden Hurdle and Tally Em Up, a most consistent grey mare trained by Philip Rothwell, is definitely the one for the ‘getting-out’ stakes in the www.patohare.com INH Flat Race.