Andrew Asquith is covering for Ben Linfoot this weekend and he has a couple of selections at Ascot's Shergar Cup meeting.
Andrew Asquith's Verdict: Saturday August 9
1pt win La Vita Nova in the 2.10 Ascot at 5/1 (General)
1pt win Marchogion in the 3.20 Ascot at 6/1 (General)
The Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers looks an open handicap, but if there is one horse in the field who has the potential to be better than their current mark, then it’s the Jessica Harrington-trained LA VITA NOVA.
She opened her account in determined fashion over an extended 11 furlongs at Limerick last summer and has shaped better than the bare result in all three starts in handicaps this season.
The first two of those came in competitive events at the Curragh, and both times she conceded first run to some extent, running on well in the closing stages to try and peg back a well-treated Willie Mullins horse to no avail on her sole start at two miles in June.
La Vita Nova wasn’t in the same form at Downpatrick last time over a three furlong shorter trip, but I don’t think you can crab her too hard for that, as she just looked one paced when passed by some quicker rivals in the final furlong.
Harrington won this race two years ago with The Very Man, who was interestingly ridden by Hollie Doyle. She’s a jockey who will know the Ascot track better than most, so I expect La Vita Nova to be well positioned, while first-time cheekpieces could eke out a bit more, too. I think she’s well handicapped and expect her to show it now.
The Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge is another tight-knit handicap on paper, but for me, Night Breeze is still potentially on the up.
He won a handicap over this course and distance so impressively in May and has done little wrong since, shaping much better than the bare result in rain-softened ground at Epsom on Derby day, just not finding as much as looked likely.
That can’t be said for his run in the Old Newton Cup at Haycok next time, though, ridden more prominently on that occasion, finding some trouble when the tempo started to quicken around three furlongs out, but sticking to his task well to hold on for third.
It's hard to argue with the form of his latest run either, finishing runner-up to Mount Atlas, again over this course and distance. Night Breeze typically travelled well back on a faster surface, but unlike Mount Atlas, who got a dream run on the inside entering the straight, he had to go around the houses, taking a very wide route.
He still laid down a firm challenge to one who had been running well in pattern company prior to that, beaten only a length, so it is interesting that the handicapper has left him on the same mark. His rider, Robbie Dolan, is a Grade 1 and Melbourne Cup-winning jockey, so he has plenty of experience, and I find it hard to see Night Breeze not being in the mix. Unfortunately the early odds (as big as 9/1) dried up to the point where he's probably the right sort of price and I can happily move on to the Sprint at 3.20.
Prince of India was very impressive at Newmarket last time, coming with a strong run down the near-side rail to win going away in very convincing fashion, but the handicapper has hit him hard with an 11lb rise, so he’ll likely need to take another step up the ladder to prevail.
MARCHOGION finished fourth to him that day, but he has a big pull at the weights now (11lb), and it wouldn’t be a surprise if it was enough to reverse that form at a track which I think will suit his run style better.
He travelled into the race nicely on that occasion, looking a threat to American Affair who led the far-side group, but he was never able to get past that rival at a track where it can be hard to make ground up, especially when the ground is riding fast.
He showed what he’s capable of when easily beating that same rival on the Rowley Course earlier in the year and the way he moved through his latest race suggests to me he’s still a well-handicapped horse.
This should set up nicely for him, with a likely strong pace to aim at, while the sand-based surface at Ascot should suit him well given his exploits on the all-weather. The stiff finish will also play to his strengths and I’d have him a little close to Prince of India in the betting given these revised terms.
Published at 1355 BST on 08/08/25
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