2021 Shergar Cup Tips and Preview

As if it wasn’t bad enough having the Racing League on this week, on Saturday we have the Shergar Cup. I am not a fan of these team events and it doesn’t make finding winners any easier. At least we also have a couple of Group 3s from Newmarket and Haydock to give us some respite. Last Saturday didn’t go too badly with both Rosa Mystica and Urban Artist placing. Let’s hope for more good runs today, check out Dave Stevos’ 2021 Shergar Cup preview and tips below.

Shergar Cup Teams

Great Britain	Adam Kirby (C) Cieren Fallon James Doyle
Ireland	Joe Fanning (C) David Egan Tadgh O’Shea
Ladies	Hayley Turner (C) Mickaelle Michel Nicola Currie
Rest Of The World	Sean Levey (C) Kevin Stott Andrea Atzeni

 

12.50 Ascot – Shergar Cup Dash (Class 2)

The opening race of the 2021 Shergar Cup is a 5f sprint. Every race is limited to 10 runners and I think the Ladies could get off to a strong start in this race. Mickaelle Michel has attracted a lot of attention this week and she gets the leg up on Aljady. Trained by Robert Cowell, this son of Bated Breath has yet to find top form this season. However, after a superb run of results last summer his mark went through the roof. It is only now that he is beginning to look feasibly handicapped again.

This horse started back off 88 last season and won at Haydock. Another win soon followed at Windsor off 93 and a Sandown handicap was added off 97. The handicapper reacted badly to that 6.5L win and hiked him up to 107. Consequently, connections were running him in stakes company on his next few starts. He struggled for the most part but he is now back to a mark of 95 after a trio of handicap runs.

He was beat just over 2L in two of those so he isn’t running that badly and he is now 2lb lower than he was when winning so easily at Sandown. Robert Cowell has a good record in this race, winning it three times since 2010. This horse is an uncomplicated sort who likes to be forward so Michel should be fine on him. He is going to come back to form soon, and hopefully today is the day. At odds of 14/1, Aljady is the e/w pick.

2021 Shergar Cup Tip: Aljady e/w @ 14/1 (4 places Hills)

1.25 Ascot – Shergar Cup Stayers (Class 2)

We were on Island Brave in the Northumberland Plate and he ran a cracker. He did so in spite of the wrong tactics being used and off 1lb lower, he could be really dangerous here. Trained by Heather Main, Cieren Fallon takes the ride for Team GB and you would imagine he will follow the trainer’s instructions. This horse is by far at his best when dropped out for a late run, just like Cieren Fallon did when winning on him at Newcastle off 97 back in December.

His form on his next four runs after that win wasn’t great. However, connections had laid him out for the Plate at Newcastle. He didn’t win that but he finished 4th and he now returns to the scene of what was probably his best win. Back in 2020 Martin Dwyer gave him an absolute peach to score over C&D off 93, coming from last to first. Hopefully, Cieren Fallon can repeat the dose today. Hochfeld and Call My Bluff should give him something to aim at and at 7/1, Island Brave is the e/w pick.

2021 Shergar Cup Tip: Island Brave e/w @ 7/1 (4 places Hills)

2.00 Ascot – 2021 Shergar Cup Challenge (Class 3)

12f is the distance for this class 3 handicap and Sam Cooke is the favourite for Levey and the Rest Of The World. He is 2lb lower than when beat a head over C&D in July and he holds obvious claims. However, The Rest Of The World could also hit the frame with Restorer. Andrea Atzeni takes the ride on this 9yo son of Mastercraftsman and he has unfinished business at Ascot. Restorer has yet to win here after four previous runs but two of those efforts were excellent.

In 2017 he was beat just 3L by Desert Encounter in a Listed C&D contest and he ran a cracker in the Wolferton later that year off 102. On his last visit (2019) he was just 2.25L behind Indianapolis off 95 in this race. He is now 1lb lower and he has shaped as if his turn might be near on his last three runs. His last win came off 95 and he has won off 97. So, off 94, he is most definitely feasibly handicapped. Ian Williams had a welcome winner at Yarmouth the other day and at odds of 14/1, Restorer should run a big race for him here.

2021 Shergar Cup Tip: Restorer e/w @ 14/1 (4 places Hills)

2.35 Ascot – Shergar Cup Mile (Class 2)

Lord Rapscallion has been a busy horse this season. He is the mount of Team GB’s James Doyle this afternoon. Although he disappointed here last time over 7f, I think the step up to a mile could spark him back to form. Previous to that below par outing Lord Rapscallion ran a couple of cracking races at Newmarket (7f gd/fm) and Royal Ascot (7f gd/fm). Previous to that he stayed on very nicely over 7f to finish 4th at Epsom (gd/sft). He looks well worth trying over a mile again on that evidence.

The son of Alhebayeb has plenty of previous experience at the distance. In fact, three of his four Irish wins came at the trip and he was a neck in front of Saltonstall (conceding 3lbs) when he finished 2nd in a rated race at Gowran over 8f (gd) less than a year ago. Williams started him out over a mile on his first two runs for the yard and he was far from disgraced on the first of those in a Listed heat when 4th. He did disappoint next time in a Lingfield Handicap but that came after a two month break so he may have needed the run. I believe this horse is capable of going very close off 92 and at odds of 16/1 he is worth chancing each way.

2021 Shergar Cup Tip: Lord Rapscallion e/w @ 16/1 (4 places)

2.50 Newmarket – Sweet Solera Stakes (Group 3)

The 7f Sweet Solera gives us a welcome break from the Shergar Cup. A field of 11 fillies will go in search of precious black type in this G3 heat and it looks a relatively open contest. There has been a bit of rain in the air at Newmarket but the ground was good to firm so it should be beautiful good ground. The one in here that could be open to any amount of improvement after just one run is Victoria Grove.

Trained by Henry Spiller, this daughter of Siyouni was sent off at 40/1 on debut over C&D. She was slow from the gates, she was green as grass in the last 1.5F and yet she still finished very nicely for 4th, 3.5L behind subsequent Listed winner Inspiral. Ardbraccan was 2L ahead of her in 2nd but that filly had the benefit of a previous run. Hayley Turner wasn’t overly hard on Victoria Grove and I think it was an extremely promising debut.

This obviously represents a big step up in class but she is bred to be useful. Her dam, a winner at 9.5f, is a half sister to a 12f G1 winner and an 11f Listed winner. Her dam’s dam is a granddaughter of G1 winner Borgia. That suggests that this filly will be a middle distance performer later in her career but for now, 7f looks the right trip. Kieran Shoemark is 1/4 for Spiller with another 2 places and he’ll be full of confidence after Lady Bowthorpe last week. I don’t think this filly should be twice the price of Ardbraccan and with 4 places on offer, she is the e/w selection at 25/1.

Newmarket Saturday Tip: Victoria Grove e/w @ 25/1 NB (4 places)

3.10 Ascot – 2021 Shergar Cup Classic (Class 2)

12f is the distance for the Shergar Cup Classic and it looks another open race. James Doyle rides Star Caliber for Andrew Balding and he could go close now dropped back in distance. A maiden winner at Goodwood in September 2020, this son of Golden Horn has run well without winning on his last three starts. A solid effort at Bath (11.5f) was followed by another decent effort when 2nd on handicap debut at Chester off 85 (14.5f).

Last time out at Ascot he was beaten a similar distance over 16f. He finished weakly in both of those races so theoretically, the drop back to 12f looks ideal. Balding is having an outstanding season and he has won 16 races in the last two weeks alone. James Doyle is 9/30 for the yard and overall, he has finished in the first 4 on 21 of 30 rides for this stable. It is only a matter of time before Star Caliber gets his head back in front and hopefully, today is the day. At odds of 8/1, he is the each way selection.

2021 Shergar Cup Tip: Star Caliber e/w @ 8/1 (4 places)

3.45 Ascot – Shergar Cup Sprint (Class 2)

The final race of the 2021 Shergar Cup (hallelujiah!) is a 6f sprint. The Ladies look to hold a strong hand with the top two in the betting. Royal Scimitar is the deserved fav after his excellent effort at Newmarket last time (6f gd/fm). Dream Composer is next best but he would definitely prefer easier ground than he will likely get here. One that looks dangerously well handicapped on just his third run since being gelded is Internationaldream for Fahey and Levey.

This son of Acclamation was a two time winner as a 2yo, both over 6f. On his final two runs of 2020 he ran really well to be placed in Listed company. He then shaped with real promise on his seasonal bow at Pontefract back in April. Internationaldream was beat just 1.25L off 94 and he is in off 6lb lower today. His next two runs were poor and he was gelded after finishing down the field on his last 6f start at York.

His first run back after the cruellest cut came over 7f at Doncaster and he shaped pretty well. Last time out he was far too free over the same distance at Goodwood and he finished out with the washing on the soft ground. The return to 6f should suit him today, as should this nicer ground. If he can get back to the level of form shown at Pontefract, Internationaldream should be bang there at odds of 16/1.

2021 Shergar Cup Tip: Internationaldream e/w @ 16/1 NAP (4 places)

4.10 Haydock – Rose Of Lancaster Stakes (Group 3)

The weather up North is a bit more unsettled than down South and it will be on the soft side for this G3. That is an unknown for the current market leader Real World. This progressive sort won the Hunt Cup on his penultimate start off 94. He then followed up in a Listed heat over 10f at Newbury. However, both wins came on good to firm and it remains to be seen if he handles cut. His Teofilo half brother Dubai Fountain has won on soft but Dark Angel’s progeny are usually much better on faster ground.

Euchen Glen has no such worries. Jim Goldie’s stable star is in the form of his life and this drop back to 10f should pose no problems. He won’t mind soft ground either. However, the value in the race could be Stormy Antarctic. Ed Walker’s 8yo is rated 112, just 4lb inferior to the top two in the betting. He loves getting his toe in and he looked as good as ever when scoring by over 3L in a Listed contest at Goodwood last time out (10f sft).

In the second part of last season it looked like this fella was on the downgrade. However, a wind op in the off season has transformed him. He is now starting to look like the horse that was beat just 2L by Persian King in the 9f Prix d’Ispahan at Chantilly last July (G1). That is arguably the best piece of form in this race in my opinion and if he can repeat it, I can see him being involved in the shake up today. At odds of 10/1, Stormy Antarctic is the each way selection.

 

Haydock Saturday Tip: Stormy Antarctic e/w @ 10/1