'Those stereotypes have gone out the window' - female riders shine at Shergar Cup as Turner seals another win for Ladies team

The Ladies landed the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup for the third time in the last four years on a day when female riders shone with four victories from six races.

For the first time the teams at the Shergar Cup were divided equally between male and female riders with the Rest of the World side composed of female jockeys alongside the Ladies team.

Rachel King and Rachel Venniker won races for the Rest of the World team, but Hayley Turner led by example as captain of the Ladies team by winning two contests, including the final race, which allowed her side to leap from bottom of the table going into the final race to snatch victory.

Great Britain and Ireland were tied with Europe at the head of the standings on 55 points going into the finale – the Shergar Cup Mile – with Rest of the World on 48 points and the Ladies on 46.

The British and Irish side held the numerical advantage in the contest with three of the ten runners. However, the pace was dictated by Ladies rider Joanna Mason, a replacement earlier in the week for Saffie Osborne, aboard Yantarni and they continued to hold the advantage deep into the final furlong. 

Mason's mount then compromised his own chances by hanging towards the paddock exit, allowing Turner, riding the 100-30 favourite New Image, to pip her at the post.

The 1-2 for the Ladies secured them 25 points to propel them to the top of the standings with 71 points overall, with Europe second on 60 ahead of the Rest of the World in third on 58 and finally Great Britain and Ireland on 55.

Turner’s success in the last secured her the Silver Saddle, and she paid tribute to Alistair Haggis, after whom the prize is named.

"It’s so nice. I’ve got three Silver Saddles now and Alistair Haggis was a big inspiration for getting the girls involved in the Shergar Cup, so it means a lot," she said.

Turner’s teammate Marie Velon, who scored 22 points, said it was “an honour to be on Hayley’s team”, while Mason, who scored 14 points, also praised Turner for her leading role in the side’s success.

“We knew going into the last race our only chance was to get a winner and a second, so we were determined to do so," said Mason.

“My horse didn’t help himself by lugging in the last furlong and I saw that someone was coming up to me as we were getting to the line, but I was happy it was Hayley rather than anyone else. She’s had a fantastic day.

“It’s something a bit different riding here and it’s been great to see girls win so many races today. I think those stereotypes that might have been there before have gone out of the window.”

Hayley Turner (New Image, grey cap) pips teammate Joanna Mason on Yantarni in the Shergar Cup Mile to snatch the prize for the Ladies teamCredit: Alan Crowhurst

The theme for the afternoon was established in the opening three races, with Venniker landing the Dash on Holkham Bay, Turner securing the Stayers on Ranch Hand and King winning the Challenge on Insanity.

King’s victory was particularly noteworthy as it came for trainer Alan King, for whom she worked as a rider and racing secretary before moving to Australia where she has flourished into a Group 1-winning jockey.

“She’s given him a lovely ride,” the winning trainer said. “He doesn’t want to be in front too soon and Rachel said she counted to something like 500 before she committed! Maybe we could look to come back next year for the royal meeting.”

Venniker came within a whisker of leaving with the Silver Saddle having only lost out to Turner on countback. However, South Africa’s sole professional female rider was pleased to have secured a winner on her first visit to Ascot.

“I'm so proud I've won a race here,” she said. “What a remarkable feeling. It's so fantastic to have everyone here I know and spring up a winner; I’m over the moon. It's nice to make South Africa proud.”

Jarraaf, the most impressive winner of the day, when landing the Sprint by two and three=quarter lengths, provided Great Britain and Ireland with their only win on the card, with Billy Loughnane in the saddle, while Europe was poised for a first win since 2014 with five races completed after Going Remote took the Classic under Bauyrzhan Murzabayev. However, neither team was able to withstand the late charge from the Ladies and Turner, both of whom have come to make Shergar Cup day their own.

A crowd of 22,976, marginally down on last year's attendance of 24,701, were present to watch the action, and Velon said: “It’s such an honour to be here and I’m so happy that we have won again. I'm proud to have been here and to have been on Hayley's team."

Shergar Cup:

‘I probably won’t get home early tonight!’ - Hayley Turner makes Shergar Cup history ahead of celebratory Sugababes concert 

Lee Mottershead: A betting ring blunder is just a small story at a Shergar Cup where Turner and King shone 

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