Neil Morrice shares all his best bets and tips for Saturday’s Shergar Cup Best Bets Ascot
DUBAI DUTY FREE SHERGAR CUP BEST BETS ASCOT SATURDAY
ASCOT
Race 1 DUBAI DUTY FREE SHERGAR CUP DASH
No2 TUCO SALAMANCA (Each Way)
Trainer: Ollie Sangster – Jockey: Jerry Chau
Hong Kong’s leading home grown rider Jerry Chau can give his country a great start to the day with an earning ride on TUCO SALAMANCA. The selection is a dual scorer from only four starts this season, and although disappointing in the Stewards’ Cup last weekend has recoiled well and should enjoy dropping back to 1000 metres. In a very open affair he faces strong competition from hat-trick seeker ALL WAYS GLAMOROUS who brings recent winning form over course and distance to the table under Marie Velon. BOLO NEIGHS finished sixth in that race, giving him work to do with the winner, but with Christophe Lemaire doing the steering he can bag a cheque. FANDOM flopped in the Stewards Cup, but like the selection may do better now back in trip.
Prediction: 1st TUCO SALAMANCA, 2nd All Ways Glamorous, 3rd Bolo Neighs, 4th Fandom
Race 2 DUBAI DUTY FREE SHERGAR CUP STAYERS
No10 HERMETIC
Trainer: Ian Williams – Jockey: Christophe Lemaire
What makes HERMETIC attractive in this long distance handicap is his relative inexperience as this is just an eighth outing for the four-year-old, who was a dual scorer in France before joining his current handler. If a line is drawn through a poor showing at Goodwood his UK form is strong, numbering a frame finish at York back in May and another in the Northumberland Plate in which he finished three lengths off the winner. Key to his chance is his ability to handle the ground, which is firmer than he’s faced. If he goes on the surface he has a big chance. SHRIMP SHADY scraped home in a desperate finish at Newbury to make it a third win from his last five outings, and with Ryan Moore on board he’s carded to start favourite. He can enter calculations but one that could serve to escalate exotic permutations is DANCING IN PARIS, a stablemate of the selection who though badly out of form recently could bounce back. KILMEADEN rates a potential earner for the Hong Kong team under its captain and multi champion Vincent Ho, and he goes in.
Prediction: 1st HERMETIC, 2nd Shrimp Shady, 3rd Dancing In Paris, 4th Kilmeaden
Race 3 DUBAI DUTY FREE SHERGAR CUP CHALLENGE
No7 CASTLE STUART (Each Way)
Trainer: Richard Fahey – Jockey: Luke Ferraris
This race over a mile and a half is a Class2 and brings some useful performers to the party. One that I think will run into the money is CASTLE STUART, who has the expert handling of South African Luke Ferraris to look forward to. The combination is strong in every department, and I expect the Dubawi colt to operate effectively on his first visit to this track after a couple of podium finishes in equally competitive races at York. ASGARD’S CAPTAIN is going to start shorter than he should with Ryan Moore doing the steering but that shouldn’t prevent him getting into the shake-up. The much travelled gelding is back operating at his optimum distance. FANTASY BELIEVER has been minded this year, not returning until the middle of June and claiming a cheque here at the King George meeting. He has every right under UK captain Saffie Osborne to trouble the judge as has NIGHT BREEZE, a regular earner who has jockey of the moment Dylan Browne McGonagle in the irons in a bid to repeat his victory in the same race 12 months ago.
Prediction: 1st CASTLE STUART, 2nd Asgard’s Captain, 3rd Fantasy Believer, 4th Night Breeze
Race 4 DUBAI DUTY FREE SHERGAR CUP SPRINT
No4 RED SPELLS DANGER (Nap)
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: Saffie Osborne
What isn’t there to like about Yorkshire-trained RED SOELLS DANGER in this 1200 metres sprint ? The Cotai Glory gelding is enjoying a bountiful season with two successes and three near misses amongst his seven outings. He turned a corner when brought back to this distance, and when fifth in the Sky Bet Dash at York he was beaten a total of only a length. The ground will not be a problem and Osborne should fit him like a glove. THUNDER CALL is admittedly a potential blot on the handicap on only a fourth 2026 start and had my Nap a head behind him in that York race. He is worse off at the weights however. One that can earn out of the roughies is CAPE ASHIZURI for whom this is just a sixth career start. His profile is not dissimilar to Thunder Run’s, while his trainer needs respecting when bringing this type of individual to the southern circuit. As long as he’s not rusty on a first start in over 300 days AMERICAN GULF is also worth considering. He’s one to watch in the betting.
Prediction: 1st RED SPELLS DANGER, 2nd Thunder Call, 3rd Cape Ashizuri, 4th American Gulf
Race 5 DUBAI DUTY FREE SHERGAR CUP CLASSIC
No5 PIERRE GROSSE
Trainer: Jessica Harrington – Jockey: Luke Ferraris
PIERRE GROSSE appeals as a top ride for Ferraris in a race where it’s easier to whittle down the number of horses with a chance. The Palace Pier gelding hasn’t missed the frame in five outings this season including two starts in handicaps. He’s versatile and the addition of first time cheek pieces could well make a difference. If he runs to his best the selection can end the impressive winning sequence of HOSEKI who when moved up to a mile and a half here last month got up the final stride. ARCHERS BAY has a solid look for a podium finish as Ryan Moore knows a lot about this former Ballydoyle inmate who has posted two successes and two frame finishes since his move to Marco Botti. Andrew Balding gets two bites of the cherry with LEVEL LOOK interesting on just a third run on grass. He has room for progression at a big price.
Prediction: 1st PIERRE GROSSE, 2nd Hoseki, 3rd Archers Bay, 4th Level Look
Race 6 DUBAI DUTY FREE SHERGAR CUP MILE
No4 MISTER WINSTON (Each Way)
Trainer: Andrew Balding- Jockey: Jerry Chau
MISTER WINSTON is one I’ll be having a go on, and while he usually needs to get an uncontested lead it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s held up and allowed to ride his luck. He pulled off a Houdini act when scoring at Epsom’s Derby fixture and while never a factor from a bad draw in the Royal Hunt Cup ran better than it looked in last week’s instructive Golden Mile at Goodwood. He spent the second half of that race locked up on the inner with nowhere to go and his jockey sat and suffered to have a full horse underneath him at the line. This is a talented horse when things pan out for him, as I hope they will today. EBT’S GUARD rarely fails to show up in big handicaps but was also denied racing real estate in the Golden Mile. Put him into all exotics along with TWO TRIBES. The well handicapped OZAT is yet another that got looked after in the Goodwood race, and has to be seriously considered.
Prediction: 1st MISTER WINSTON, 2nd Ebt’s Guard, 3rd Ozat, 4th Two Tribes
