'My riding style? Very aggressive' - meet the jockeys from around the world competing at this year's Shergar Cup

Ahead of the 24th edition of the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot on Saturday, we caught up with a number of the jockeys representing Asia, Europe, Great Britain and Ireland and Rest of the World . . . 

Suraj Narredu

Team: Asia (captain)

Nationality: Indian

Age: 40

Where they ride: India

What's your greatest moment?
I don't think it has yet arrived. I'm still waiting for that to come.

How did you become a jockey?
My dad and uncle were jockeys and now they're both trainers, so my family was already in the sport and I was inclined to it. 

Frankie Dettori: a racing idol to Suraj NarreduCredit: Edward Whitaker

Who's your racing idol?
Frankie Dettori. He's always been my hero and he still is. For me to come and ride at Ascot, where he won so many times, is incredible. He's the king of Royal Ascot and it's a big deal to be here.

How would you describe your riding technique?
It all depends on what the horses like and dislike and how any trainer wants us to ride. We're all learning so we can get the best out of the horse.

Mirai Iwata

Team: Asia

Nationality: Japanese

Age: 25

Where they ride: Japan

What's your greatest moment?
Winning the Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies race at Kyoto with Arma Veloce.

How did you become a jockey?
My father, Yasunori, was a jockey when I was younger and he still is. He's a multiple Group 1-winning rider.

Who's your racing idol?
My father.

How would you describe your riding technique?
From the heart.

Ryusei Sakai

Team: Asia

Nationality: Japanese

Age: 28

Where they ride: Japan

What's your greatest moment?
Winning the Saudi Cup with Forever Young this year was very special. Japanese Grade 1s are very important but I want to compete everywhere in the world.

How did you become a jockey?
I enjoyed the sport and qualified from Japan’s jockey school in 2016 before going from there.

Who's your racing idol?
Yutaka Take. He's well known all over the world and he was one I looked up to.

How would you describe your riding technique?
I'm very versatile and I can adapt to each horse to get the best out of him.

Per-Anders Graberg

Team: Europe (captain)

Nationality: Swedish

Age: 51

Where they ride: Scandinavia

What's your greatest moment?
It has to be my first Scandinavian Open Championship with Equip Hill in 2007.

How did you become a jockey?
I stumbled into it. I was too small for a lot of other sports and one day a trainer came up to me and said I had small feet, and he asked if I wanted to become a jockey. I'd never sat on a horse but it sounded cool.

Who's your racing idol?
Gary Stevens. When I was a kid I went to America in the winter to work at Santa Anita. He became my idol.

How would you describe your riding technique?
It's hard to say, but I like to ride with a long rein and give the horse a lot of freedom. Back home we're not allowed to use the whip so we have to ride a bit differently.

Robbie Dolan

Team: Great Britain and Ireland

Nationality: Irish

Age: 29

Where they ride: Australia

Robbie Dolan: riding for Great Britain and Ireland

What's your greatest moment?
Winning the Melbourne Cup with Knight's Choice. It's one of those races that means more than just a race, and there's only a few in the world that have that feeling. I never thought I'd ride in it, let alone win it.

How did you become a jockey?
It's in the family background. My grandfather, Peadar Matthews, was a jockey back in the day. He won Classics in Ireland and once I came into contact with horses, I was hooked and wanted to get better.

Who's your racing idol?
Johnny Murtagh was probably one of them along with Mick Kinane. I could name ten of them, but the one who stood out was probably Johnny.

How would you describe your riding technique?
I have a different one and it's kind of a hybrid between Ireland and Australia. It's hard to explain, so you'll probably have to wait until Saturday to see.

Karis Teetan

Team: Rest of the World (captain)

Nationality: Mauritian

Age: 35

Where they ride: Hong Kong

What's your greatest moment?
When I won my first race, but also when I won my first Group 1 in Hong Kong with Mr Stunning in the Sprint race. All my hard work paid off.

How did you become a jockey?
Racing in Mauritius is massive and I used to go to the racecourse every week with my father. Every weekend they'd play racing on TV and I started riding when I was six.

Who's your racing idol?
I always looked up to Frankie Dettori. I remember when he came to Mauritius for an international jockey challenge and it was such a big show. I was too young to see him, but I've ridden with him in Mauritius and it was amazing. 

How would you describe your riding technique?
Very aggressive.

Hugh Bowman

Team: Rest of the World

Nationality: Australian

Age: 45

Where they ride: Hong Kong

What's your greatest moment?
When I won the Japan Cup in 2017 on Cheval Grand was pretty special. It gave me the points to becomes the Longines world's best jockey.

How did you become a jockey?
I grew up on a farm in Central West, New South Wales, which was five hours from Sydney. I grew up in a horse family and horses were part of my life from an early age. I love competition and my father introduced me to the sport.

Hugh Bowman collects his Longines world's best jockey awardCredit: Longines

Who's your racing idol?
Darren Beadman. He partnered me in my first Shergar Cup team. He was a very accomplished rider.

How would you describe your riding technique?
Patient.

Katie Davis

Team: Rest of the World

Nationality: American

Age: 33

Where they ride: US

Katie Davis is relishing the chance to race at Ascot on Saturday

What's your greatest moment?
I've won five or six stakes races this year and placed a lot in Graded stakes, but I'm looking for my first big one. It's my goal this year and hopefully I'll get there.

How did you become a jockey?
My whole family is in racing. My dad was a jockey in the 80s and 90s and retired in 2003. He kept us very far from the sport and when he came he never talked about it, but as we got older when he started training we all got into it.

Who's your racing idol?
My father. He's been such a big supporter and he trained my brain really well.

How would you describe your riding technique?
Coming back after becoming a mother has made me more patient. I can be very feminine with soft hands, but I can also be very aggressive when needed.

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