Hayley Turner the leading rider but fails to rule the world at Shergar Cup

Hayley Turner took the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle for the second year running with a 36.5-1 double on Eddystone Rock and Sapa Inca, plus a second on Pass The Vino, but the Girls team failed to repeat last year's victory and were beaten comprehensively into joint-second behind the Rest of the World.

Turner's success was timely after Kevin Blake on ITV's Opening Show repeated his case for all female riders to receive an allowance from their male counterparts. It is an advantage she took advantage of herself when she was riding in France, but it is one most of the leading female riders are opposed to on principle.

Turner, whose winners were for John Best and Mark Johnston respectively, is a fixture at the Shergar Cup, which she frequently cites as her favourite day of the entire year. She has missed it only once since Ascot reopened in 2006 following redevelopment, and her 40 points was a new personal best, topping last year's score by one.

She was especially thrilled to be the first rider to take the Silver Saddle twice, as the late Alistair Haggis was instrumental in introducing a Girls team for the first time back in 2012 and was also a good friend.

Jamie Spencer (leading): denies Turner a treble on the day after success on Victory DayCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Turner, who was joined by her mother, father, sister, grandmother and other friends as usual, said: "I can't believe it. I tried for 12 years before winning the Silver Saddle for the first time last year, and obviously Alistair Haggas created this whole event and got the girls involved. He's no longer with us, which is really sad, but it's nice to win it for him and this meeting really gave me a leg up in my career."

Having gone 44 rides since her last winner, Turner nearly pulled off a treble, for Pass The Vino held every chance in the concluding 6f handicap until Jamie Spencer conjured an impressive late burst from the William Haggas-trained favourite Victory Day, who came from last to first in the style of a fast-improving sprinter.

Victory Day was the only winner on the card for Great Britain and Ireland, who trailed the four teams throughout and whose captain Danny Tudhope barely got a look in.

Victory for a Rest of the World team led by Yuga Kawada, who had four winners last summer while based with Roger Varian, was comprehensive, although Kawada himself failed to score.

The team won with Indianapolis, ridden by Australian Mark Zahra for James Given, and with Power Of Darkness, ridden by Hong Kong's Vincent Ho for big Shergar Cup fan Marcus Tregoning. They finished top of the table with 86 points.

They were 23 points clear of the Girls team and Europe, who failed to add to the success in the opening 5f handicap of Stone Of Destiny, ridden by captain Filip Minarik of the Czech Republic for Andrew Balding.

Mark Zahra: led the Rest of the World to victoryCredit: Mark Cranham

Kawada said: "I didn't do my job really, but luckily the other two did. I had a lot of fun today. It's a fabulous atmosphere and I had a great day. It was great to spend it with my team and it's amazing to win as captain. I came last year and it's great to catch up with people, as well as meet new people. I hope to be back next year."

Zahra, who was second to Turner in the Silver Saddle, added: "It's been a massive thrill to be here. We had a bit of banter in the weighing room and I gave them a rev up when I saw we were in front on the leaderboard."

Read The Briefing from 8.30am daily on racingpost.com and the Racing Post mobile app with all the day's latest going, weather, market moves and non-runner news