Heard about the dog who played her part in a Shergar Cup success story?

Dogs are a rare sight in the winner's enclosure, but Tilly the Golden Retriever could not have been made more welcome after Indianapolis took the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge for owners Alex and Olwyn Owen at Ascot on Saturday.

Tilly, resplendent in a Dogs for Good jacket, is a vital aid to Olwyn Owen, who is confined to a wheelchair, and she had as much fuss made of her as Indianapolis, who was bought for days such as this.

The son of Galileo played his part perfectly as well when produced late by Australian jockey Mark Zahra – whose effort earned him the ride of the day accolade – to collar last year's winner Genetics and beat him by half a length.

Mark Zahra celebrates after winning the Shergar Cup Challenge on IndianapolisCredit: Mark Cranham

Alex Owen, who has had racehorses before but hailed Indianapolis as the best, said: "Tilly will pick up the phone and take it to Olwyn, she'll get the mail, and she'll open the washing machine door and get the washing out.

"Olwyn has had MS for six years now and she can't walk. Tilly has totally changed the quality of her life as she does everything for her and she's a good companion too. Ascot have been fantastic. Everybody has been so accommodating."

He added: "Tilly is from Dogs for Good, who used to be Dogs for the Disabled. They are fantastic dogs, and the charity needs as much support as they can get as there's no sponsorship."

Indianapolis was bought privately from Aidan O'Brien last autumn and has been threatening to win a nice race for his new trainer James Given.

"I can't thank Aidan O'Brien and his team enough as they've been fantastic," Owen continued. "We got in touch and told Aidan about the charity and said we wanted to know what horses were available. We had to pay for Indianapolis of course, privately, and we have to thank him for the chance to have a horse as good as this."

Australian Zahra was riding for the first time in Britain and thoroughly enjoyed his day. He said: "If I was offered the right job during the Melbourne winter I'd definitely come back for a working holiday."

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