Global greats and showbiz stars collide as the Shergar Cup again brings something different to Ascot

The Ascot authorities try for something very different with the Shergar Cup, namely to fan the flames of fandom around jockeys for an audience familiar with humans being the stars in other sports.

It's not quite as simple as saying "you can watch William Buick anytime, here's someone different," but there is an element of bringing the outside racing world to a British public which, as is the case in every other racing jurisdiction, likes what it knows.

Probably the stars on show at Ascot with the highest riding profile outside their own countries are Japan's Ryusei Sakai and Australian-born Hugh Bowman, who is in rarefied company alongside Frankie Dettori, Ryan Moore and James McDonald in having been crowned Longines World's Best Jockey.