'I would watch YouTube of Ryan Moore riding' - Hong Kong debutant set to make video game 'dream' a reality at Shergar Cup

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Jerry Chau grew up choosing to ride at Ascot in video games but now his “dream” to ride against Ryan Moore and some of the world’s best jockeys is coming true in Saturday’s Shergar Cup – although bookmakers expect Team Great Britain and Ireland to dominate proceedings.

Chau is one of three members in the first Hong Kong Jockey Club side at the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, the team event celebrating its 25th anniversary, and said the opportunity represents “the biggest moment in my career”.

Team GB and Ireland are the 2-5 favourites with Coral. Europe are 6-1 while Hong Kong and the Rest of the World are both 8-1.

Chau, 26, comes from a non-racing background and will fulfil a lifelong dream when teaming up with inaugural Hong Kong team captain Vincent Ho and Luke Ferraris.

But the new side might have a tough job to stop a blockbuster home team consisting of Moore, Ireland’s champion jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle and an in-form Saffie Osborne.

Team Rest of the World (Yutaka Take, Jamie Melham and Suraj Narredu) and Team Hong Kong representatives Luke Ferraris and Jerry ChauCredit: Megan Rose Photography

Speaking at a media event at Ascot on Thursday to promote the Shergar Cup, Chau said: "I found out I would be riding here for Team Hong Kong in June. I really couldn't sleep at night when I heard I'd been selected.

“Saturday will be the biggest moment in my career and I'm very excited. I think riding at Ascot will help get me more experience and confidence."

The expected British and Irish domination of the Shergar Cup this year has also been reflected in the betting for the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle.

Moore, who is riding in the team competition for the first time in 20 years, is the 7-4 favourite with Coral, 9-4 favourite with Paddy Power and William Hill and 11-4 joint-favourite alongside Osborne with bet365.

He won the Silver Saddle when part of the successful Great Britain and Ireland team in 2006 on his previous Shergar Cup appearance.

Coral’s David Stevens said: "Ryan Moore has been an infrequent Shergar Cup rider, but his participation in this year's competition looks timely now, as he has picked up a strong book of rides, and along with Saffie Osborne and Dylan Browne McMonagle, the trio dominate the Silver Saddle betting and as a result, are red-hot favourites to land the team prize too.”

Team Hong Kong pose at a Shergar Cup media day at AscotCredit: Megan Rose Photography

Chau, who has ridden 221 winners in Hong Kong, has just enjoyed his finest season since becoming a senior rider and broke new ground last year when partnering Self Improvement to victory in the Grade 3 Korea Sprint at Seoul.

"My father followed racing and I would watch Happy Valley every Wednesday as a child," he said. "The first jockey I knew was Joao Moreira. I started riding ponies and I wasn't bad. I rode them for years and I still couldn't canter, but my coach said I had very good balance when the horse shifted around.

"When I became interested in racing I would watch YouTube of Ryan Moore riding in all of the Group 1s in Dubai, Ascot and Hong Kong, so to ride against him is a dream. I used to play video games and choose to ride at Ascot and now I'm here riding for real."

Two other tales from the Shergar Cup press event

Forget Ka Ying Rising - another sensation may be coming to Royal Ascot

Jamie Melham enjoyed a career-defining season winning the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups with Half Yours last year, but that horse does not enter the conversation when she is asked about the best she has ridden. 

The question barely had time to register before she answered in the affirmative about Sheza Alibi, who she rode to a jaw-dropping success in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick in April.

"Absolutely," she said. "She’s the fastest horse I’ve ever ridden and I’ve ridden very fast horses like Nature Strip, but I've never had a feeling like that before. She's insane – it was just the acceleration and how effortless and easy it was. 

"She pulled up, didn’t blow and trotted back in like nothing was hard for her – I think that defines a champion."

Sheza Alibi is joint-trained by Peter Moody, who masterminded the career of the legendary Australian sprinter Black Caviar. She memorably won the Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and Melham suspects his latest flying filly could make the same trip to Britain. 

She said: "Luke Nolen couldn’t do the weight at Randwick, so I was the lucky one who didn’t eat for a month, and I would not eat for any month of the year to ride that horse. You don’t see or feel that, ever. 

"At the 600m I thought ‘Oh God, she’s going to have to be a freak to win this race’, and in two strides I thought ‘we’re going to win by half the straight’. I’m sure she might even make the trip here next year."

Yutaka Take takes aim at the Arc with Meisho Tabaru

There is not much legendary Japanese jockey Yutaka Take has yet to see but his home country winning the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is one thing. 

Japan's obsession with the Arc hit new heights when Orfevre was denied in consecutive runnings in 2012 and 2013, while many thought Croix Du Nord would be the horse to complete the feat last year.

It did not happen but Take said he is not willing to hang up his riding boots until the deed has been done and is looking forward to partnering Meisho Tabaru in this year's Longchamp showpiece. 

"The first time I rode in the race was 32 years ago and I've participated in the race ten times," he said. "It's always been one of my challenges to win the Arc, not just for myself but for horsemen in Japan. It's the Japanese dream. It's the number-one aim alongside the King George. I can't stop being a jockey until I've done it."

Legendary Japanese jockey Yutaka Take represents the Rest of the World team at the Shergar Cup

Meisho Tabaru was last seen beating Croix Du Nord by a neck in the Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen over 1m3f at Hanshin in June and Take believes he has one thing in his favour as he works back from Paris. 

He said: "He is a little difficult horse but when he wins he's amazing. He does well when it's raining in Japan and when the turf is tough, so I think that will make him suited to the courses in Europe."

The jockey nominated the Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen winner Sixpence, who he is booked to ride in the Prix Jacques le Marois on August 16, as one of the horses he was most looking forward to partnering in the coming months. 

Read more:

I love the Shergar Cup - and grumpy punters need to learn to love it too 

'I'd say I'm a fairly undeserving captain!' - Saffie Osborne eyes Shergar Cup glory alongside Ryan Moore and Dylan Browne McMonagle 

Everything you need to know about the Shergar Cup: teams, jockeys, format, how the points work and who to watch 

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