Hollie Doyle blog: Battling for Shergar Cup bragging rights with Ladies team-mates Hayley Turner and Saffie Osborne

Hollie Doyle joins captain Hayley Turner and Saffie Osborne on Ladies team for Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot on Saturday, all live on Sky Sports Racing; Jessica Harrington sends over The Very Man in Stayers contest (2.10)

Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle makes her second Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup appearance at Ascot on Saturday, competing alongside Hayley Turner and Saffie Osborne in a top Ladies team.

The Shergar Cup is a race day with a difference – an exciting departure from the everyday quest for winners.

This is a team event, bringing together some of the world’s greatest jockeys, so it’s exciting to be involved for only the second time as part of the Ladies team.

Osborne double extends Wales & The West’s advantage in Racing League‘He’s my hero!’ | Moreira excited to face Dettori in Shergar Cup

A meeting like no other!

Watch the Shergar Cup at Ascot, featuring Frankie Dettori, Hollie Doyle and Hayley Turner, all live on Sky Sports Racing on Saturday, August 12

I’m riding alongside the Shergar Cup’s most successful jockey Hayley Turner, our team captain, and the talented Saffie Osborne, as we pit our wits against Great Britain and Ireland, Europe, and the Rest of the World.

And, for the first time, my husband Tom Marquand will be taking part as a member of the ‘home’ team, which will add a little spice to proceedings. Tom and I are used to riding against each other but not in a team situation, so we’ll be battling for those bragging rights in our quest for vital points.

Looking for flying start on sprint veteran

I’m on Julie Camacho’s star veteran JUDICIAL in the curtain raiser, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash (1.35). He’s among the outsiders but has been a true legend for Julie and connections, and he still appears to retain plenty of ability.

He’s only had one run this year, in the Group Three Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle in June, and so comes to Ascot a fresh horse, who will enjoy the stiff nature of the track.

Judicial is up against Clive Cox’s Tis Marvellous, who gave me my one and only Shergar Cup winner when I made my only previous appearance back in 2018.

Irish raider has stamina to burn

Top-class Irish trainer Jessica Harrington wouldn’t be sending THE VERY MAN over from her County Kildare base if she didn’t think he could be competitive in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers (2.10).

This nine-year-old has stamina to burn, so the two miles around Ascot in easy ground will play to his strengths in an open-looking handicap.

The Very Man is better known as a solid handicap hurdler, but he showed his tenacity on the Flat when only just failing to win a big prize at the Galway Festival a couple of weeks ago.

Soto out to sizzle in Challenge

I rode a winner for Gary Moore at Bath the other day and it would be nice to follow that up with his SOTO SIZZLER in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge (2.45).

This gelding came unstuck in bottomless ground at Glorious Goodwood but ran a much better race at Epsom in the spring, finishing third over 10 furlongs.

He has winning form there over this longer trip and although he hasn’t won so far this year, the eight-year-old now heads to Ascot on a workable mark.

Empire one of my strongest chances

I’m sitting out the Mile feature, but I am back in the game for one of my better rides in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic (3.55).

I ride James Tate’s REGAL EMPIRE, who is a dual winner on the All-Weather and tuned up for this with a big performance in the Racing League at Yarmouth a couple of weeks ago.

This lightly-raced three-year-old was beaten only a length into third at the seaside track and looks ready for another crack at a mile and a half. He’s been raised only 1lb for that effort and demonstrated his stamina when winning a handicap at Southwell back in the winter over a slightly shorter distance.

Hoping to hit the heights on Washington

Another strong chance comes my way in the finale on WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, trained up north by Kevin Ryan for my old friends Hambleton Racing.

We’ve enjoyed great success together at Ascot with the likes of Glen Shiel, of course, and this gelding deserves to get his head in front in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint (4.30).

Washington Heights has run some sound races in defeat this year, finishing second to subsequent dual Group One-winner Shaquille at Newmarket and only just failing in a valuable handicap at York in June.

Group One targets for improving Lawrence

Saint Lawrence ran a mighty race in last weekend’s Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville, going down narrowly in a three-way finish. With a stronger pace and a clearer run, we may have even won it.

That performance on such gluey ground shows the Wokingham Stakes winner is up to competing at the highest level, and his trainer Archie Watson, who has worked wonders with him in such a short space of time, has big plans now.

Archie intends to run the five-year-old in the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock Park next month, with a possible tilt at the Champions Sprint at Ascot in October also on the cards.

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