Saturday racing tips from Newsboy for Ascot's Shergar Cup and rest of the ITV action
LA YAKEL and ‘Magic Man’ João Moreira are the combination to follow in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge (2.45) at Ascot today.
The Brazilian legend skippers the Rest of the World team at the international jockeys’ challenge - and has an excellent chance of hitting the bullseye aboard the William Haggas-saddled son of Time Test.
La Yakel isn’t the easiest horse to get to the track - the four-year-old has had just six career starts - but notched to victories in his Classic campaign, including a handicap over this course and distance last September. On the back of a 281-day absence, my selection produced a sterling effort with a neck second to Oneforthegutter, again over a mile and a half at Ascot, four weeks ago.
A 3lb nudge up the weights may not stop La Yakel and Moreira from going one better.
AL AASY is fancied to build on a return to form at Newbury three weeks ago to land the Group 3 Betfred Rose Of Lancaster Stakes (3.00) at Haydock Park.
Despite a hefty last-of-five defeat at Newmarket at the beginning of last month - Al Aasy had returned from 420 days on the sidelines - the six-year-old was the odds-on favourite during the early exchanges for the Listed bet365 Steventon Stakes at the Berkshire course last time out.
By the time the stalls opened, Jim Crowley’s friendless mount was the 100-30 second favourite, but showed the fire still burns with a length-and-a-half beating of Phantom Flight.
My selection may never re-scale the heights that saw him go under by a neck to Pyledriver in the 2021 Coronation Cup at Epsom, but he’s capable of living up to his status as the best horse in this race on official figures.
He lacks the experience of his 15 opponents, but twice-raced POET MASTER gets the vote to defend his unbeaten record in the Betfred ‘Let’s Play Fred’s £5 Million’ Handicap (2.25) is wide-open. Punters made the gelded son of Lope De Vega the 5-6 market leader to make his belated debut a winning one at Musselburgh in June, and Poet Master didn’t disappoint.
He followed up under a penalty at Haydock Park a fortnight on, and an opening British Horseracing Authority mark of 92 looks within range for the Karl Burke trainee.
Burke’s FALLEN ANGEL came up against a smart rival when beaten half a length by Shuwari in the Listed Star Stakes at Sandown Park and rates the one to beat in Newmarket’s Group 3 Molson Coors Sweet Solera Stakes (3.40).
At Ascot, Frankie Dettori and EMPIRESTATEOFMIND can score for Europe in the the Dubai Duty Free Mile (3.20). John Quinn’s team could hardly be in better form and the five-year-old has run well without winning in some white-hot handicaps this year.
Dettori’s friend and team-mate Olivier Peslier has strong claims of capturing the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic (3.55) aboard GOLDEN MOVE.
Matthew Chadwick proved the star of the show when the Rest of the World came out on top 11 years ago and the limelight beckons once more, courtesy of INTRINSIC BOND in the opening Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash (1.35).
Hollie Doyle partners THE VERY MAN for the Ladies in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers (2.10), and Jessica Harrington’s dual-purpose performer has plenty going for him.
Stuart Williams’ QUINAULT carries the Great Britain & Ireland livery and the seven-timer seeker should send supporters of the home team away with a song in their hearts by lifting the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint (4.30).
The Curragh stages the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (4.40), in which UNQUESTIONABLE seeks revenge on Railway Stakes conqueror Bucanero Forte.
A short head separated the pair in the Group 2 curtain-raiser to the Irish Derby card last month but Aidan O’Brien’s youngster is the selection to gain the day this time.
