Everything you need to know about the 2025 Shergar Cup

What is the Shergar Cup?

First run in 1999 at Goodwood and ever since at Ascot, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup is a yearly horseracing event that is different to almost every other raceday.

Twelve jockeys race in one of four teams and earn points depending on where they finish in the race. 

Each team is made up of three jockeys and their individual points are added together to give their team an overall score.

Unlike standard day-to-day racing, the jockey does not wear the silks of the horse's owner.

Instead, they wear their team's specific colours, although the design of each set of silks and cap colours varies to distinguish individual competitors from one another in a race.

By the end of the six-race card, the points tallies are calculated and the winning team is crowned champion.

There is also an individual award, the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle, which works in the same way: whoever is top of the league table at the end of the day is the winner.

When is it?

The 2025 Shergar Cup takes place on Saturday, August 9 at Ascot, with the first race off at 1.35pm.

This year's changes

The 2025 Shergar Cup at Ascot is going to be significantly different as we say goodbye to the Ladies team and introduce the Asia team. 

The four teams this year are more ‘geographically based’, a term to be used loosely given there is a team called ‘The Rest of the World’. 

Nevertheless, Asia, Europe, Great Britain and Ireland, and The Rest of the World will compete for the team Shergar Cup Trophy. Individual jockeys' scores are also totalled with the top scorer winning the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle award, and a cash prize.

Let’s take a look at how this year’s teams are shaping up and where Team Asia fits into the line-up.

The teams

Europe

Per-Anders Graberg - Sweden (captain)
One previous Shergar Cup appearance

The Swedish champion jockey with more than 2,000 winners globally will be captaining the team after an almost career-ending injury in August last year.

Dario di Tocco - Italy
Shergar Cup debut

The Italian champion jockey for the past two years, he landed  the 2023 Italian Derby on Goldenas.

Delphine Santiago - France
Shergar Cup debut

France’s most successful female jockey with almost 750 wins, she has won the Cravache d’Or award as the top female rider 11 times.

Asia

All riders are on their Shergar Cup debut 

Suraj Narredu - India (captain)

The Asia captain has more than 2,000 wins globally and has a family legacy with the Shergar Cup as his uncle rode in the 2009 event.

Mirai Iwata - Japan

Now based with trainer William Haggas in Newmarket, the 25-year-old has achieved 100 winners over 2022 and 2023 with his first Group 1 victory coming on Arma Veloce in the 2024 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies.

Ryusei Sakai - Japan

Winner of the 2025 Saudi Cup on Forever Young. Sakai has won Group 1 races on turf and dirt.

Rest of the world

Karis Teetan - Mauritius (captain)
Shergar Cup debut

A leading jockey based in Hong Kong, having ridden top performers such as Able Friend and Romantic Warrior.

Hugh Bowman - Australia
Two appearances

The partner of the mighty Winx, together they claimed 25 Group-1 victories across Australia. He relocated to Hong Kong in 2022.

Katie Davis - US
Shergar Cup debut

Davis has been a licensed jockey since 2013 and has notched almost 350 wins since her first success in early 2014. She notably beat her husband (Trevor McCarthy) and brother (Dylan Davis) in a race in September 2023.

Great Britain and Ireland

Hollie Doyle - Great Britain (captain)
Two appearances

Britain's most successful female jockey with more than 1,000 career wins, six at Royal Ascot, she became the first British-based woman jockey to win a Classic, landing the 2022 Prix de Diane on Nashwa for the John and Thady Gosden stable.

Robbie Dolan - Ireland
Shergar Cup debut

Dolan moved to Australia in 2016 and had his first Group 1 success in the Spring Champion Stakes before a huge career highlight with a 90-1 success in the 2024 Melbourne Cup on Knights Choice. 

Joanna Mason - Great Britain
Two appearances

Mason spent 14 years as an amateur jockey, first riding professionally at the end of 2020. She managed to hit 100 career wins by June 2022.

The races

• 1.35 Ascot: Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash Handicap | 5f, 3yo+, Class 2
• 2.10 Ascot: Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers Handicap | 2m, 4yo+, Class 2
• 2.45 Ascot: Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge Handicap | 1m4f, 4yo+, Class 2
• 3.20 Ascot: Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint Handicap | 6f, 3yo, Class 2
• 3.55 Ascot: Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic Handicap | 1m4f, 3yo, Class 3
• 4.30 Ascot: Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile Handicap | 1m, 4yo+, Class 2

The scoring system

Across the six races, each jockey will ride in five races. Because of the ten-runner maximum field per race, each team will either have two or all three of their jockeys riding in one race.

The first five home in each race receive points in the following order:

• 1st: 15 points
• 2nd: 10 points
• 3rd: 7 points
• 4th: 5 points
• 5th: 3 points

If one of the declared horses is a non-runner, one of the two reserve horses is brought into the race.

If a horse cannot be replaced by a reserve horse, the jockey who is without a ride is awarded four points.

Read more...

Ladies team removed and replaced by new side in changes made to this year's Shergar Cup at Ascot 

‘It’s not sexism at all’ - Shergar Cup legend Hayley Turner criticises decision to remove Ladies team 

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