Our form expert returns with four selections for Saturday's ITV Racing at Ascot's Shergar Cup.
The Verdict: Saturday August 8
1pt win Fahrenheit Seven in the 13:35 Ascot at 9/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes)
1pt win Asgard’s Captain in the 14:45 Ascot at 13/2 (General)
1pt win Blue Hercules in the 15:55 Ascot at 10/1 (General)
1pt win Mister Winston in the 16:30 Ascot at 12/1 (General)
Eye Captain in the Challenge
Ryan Moore turns up at the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup for the first time in 20 years at Ascot on Saturday and he looks to have landed a strong book of rides.
Indeed, it’s little wonder he heads the betting for the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle trophy, for the leading rider at the meeting, with three of his five mounts looking likely favourites.
They don’t include ASGARD’S CAPTAIN against probable market leader Night Breeze in the Shergar Cup Challenge over 1m4f at 14:45, but Dylan Cunha’s horse is fancied to reverse last year’s form with last year’s winner.
Rewind the clock 12 months and Night Breeze was a well backed winner of this race under Robbie Dolan, with Asgard’s Captain beaten two lengths after racing keenly under Katie Davis.
Despite racing inefficiently he stayed on well off a moderate gallop to snatch fifth and he backed up that performance with a win at York’s Ebor Festival two weeks later.
This looks a good time of year for him and he gets an 8lb pull at the weights with Night Breeze on last year’s race, while this year’s renewal looks likely to be run at a stronger gallop which will suit.
A strongly-run 1m4f looks his perfect set up and that’s a reason to forgive him his last two runs where he wasn’t seen at his best over two miles and 1m6f at Newcastle and Newmarket, respectively.
He didn’t run badly at the latter track, but better is expected now he goes over a mile and a half again. With a great record for jockeys riding him for the first time, Moore can get a nice tune out of him.
The Verdict: Back ASGARD’S CAPTAIN in the 14:45 Ascot
Winston can give Balding a Mile high
Andrew Balding is the leading trainer at the Shergar Cup with 15 winners and he has some good chances to increase that number on Saturday.
He teams up with Moore himself with Shrimp Shady in the Stayers race and he could be tough to beat, for all that he’s been well found in the market.
However, the one from the Balding yard that I think might be a little underestimated is MISTER WINSTON at 12/1 in the concluding Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile.
It’s telling that the handicapper hasn’t dropped him from a perch of 103 after finishing 23rd in the Hunt Cup and then 14th in the Golden Mile at Goodwood last time where he got no run whatsoever down the inside.
After being drawn on the wrong side at Royal Ascot both of those runs are worth chucking out and so his most relevant recent form is his excellent Epsom win on Oaks day.
That was a fairly remarkable performance, as he was keen on the outside for much of the race, then he was significantly hampered as they came stands’ side before he rallied for a convincing length win off a rating of 97.
It was a victory that suggested he could be pattern class and I’m in no doubt that he’s capable in handicap company off a mark in the low 100s granted the right set up.
He might just enjoy getting a tow into things off Bullet Point down the inside on the round course under Hong Kong rider Jerry Chau, where he can get cover and put his strong-travelling style to good use.
The Verdict: Back MISTER WINSTON in the 16:30 Ascot
Fahrenheit to turn up the heat in opener
The opening Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash over five furlongs promises to be a hell-for-leather affair with Gold Star Hero, Cinque Verde, Spartan Arrow and All Ways Glamorous scorching up the straight and I think things are set up for a closer.
Bolo Neighs could be that horse and he’s been well backed, but at twice his price I like the claims of FAHRENHEIT SEVEN at 9/1.
Robert Cowell’s sprinter was seriously progressive earlier in the year when winning at Newcastle and Southwell where he travelled well off a solid pace both times to win over five furlongs.
On his last two starts he has been well beaten at York and Newcastle, but both of those were over six furlongs and last time he was caught out wide up with the pace and that wasn’t the place to be.
He could be a different proposition dropped back down to five furlongs off a strong gallop and he’s well worth a go at sand-based Ascot considering his all-weather form.
On top of that he drew Saffie Osborne, a fine judge of the Ascot straight track, up top, and if she’s sitting quietly heading into the final furlong she might just have the horse to get the job done.
The Verdict: Back FAHRENHEIT SEVEN in the 13:35 Ascot
Hercules looks a Classic hero
Finally, Melbourne Cup-winning rider Jamie Melham has landed some interesting rides on the card and things could pan out nicely for her aboard BLUE HERCULES in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic over 10 furlongs.
This son of Ghaiyyath was thrown into the deep end on handicap debut at Royal Ascot in the King George V Stakes and it didn’t work out, but undettered William Muir & Chris Grassick ran him over the same course and distance last time in calmer waters.
He ran really well, too, just beaten a neck into second at 18/1 after racing keenly, and while he was well positioned towards the lead in a slowly-run race it was a clear step back in the right direction for a horse who has plenty more to offer over this sort of trip.
The Muir-Grassick team are in really good form and Muir has won with three of his last four Shergar Cup runners, so it’s no wonder Blue Hercules has been pointed here again after running so well over the course and distance last time.
This probably is a deeper race, with Hoseki and Archers Bay both having strong claims, but Blue Hercules could be well positioned here racing prominently, possibly just off the shoulder of front-runner Last Verse, and if he builds on his latest second he could give the market leaders plenty to think about.
The Verdict: Back BLUE HERCULES in the 15:55 Ascot
Preview posted at 15:40 BST on 07/08/26
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