Shergar Cup 2023 Tips: A Trio To Back At Ascot
Love it or hate it it, the team format of racing is really taking off at the moment with both the Racing League and this weekend's Shergar Cup seeing jockeys and trainers aiming to win for their team as well as their own prize money. The races are usually hotly contested and despite the frustration when we punters think we are roaring home our pick only to find out we are in fact looking at the wrong horse, there is plenty of betting opportunity to be had. After a couple of winners on Thursday night, Billy Grimshaw has three tips for Shergar Cup success...
Annoyingly as I type the price on my pick for this race is rapidly evaporating, but in a way I'm not surprised because THE VERY MAN has plenty of upside for The Ladies team. Jessie Harrington's charge is no spring chicken at nine but has been running as well as ever this season, particularly at Galway last time out behind Teed Up. Hollie Doyle takes the ride which is a positive and if Doyle can get off to a slightly better start than the horse managed at Galway he should give a good account of himself.
Plenty in here are names well known to racing fans and another veteran The Grand Visir was the other on my shortlist each-way as he has been running admirably this season and his second at Royal Ascot proved he likes it round here. However, I think The Very Man has more upside and looks like he is somehow still improving even at his age, so he can kick us off in the perfect style with a 5/1 winner.
This could look a stupid bet after about five seconds of the race as the angle I am leaning into is the hope there isn't much pace on in this race. Basically, if after the start our pick isn't at the very least prominent I'd throw the ticket away, but If FOX TAL does manage to get a freebie on the lead he may just remember what a decent horse he used to be for Andrew Balding and King Power Racing back in the day and outrun his odds. The negatives are there for all to see, a fragile, sulky and unpredictable horse who seems to have forgotten how to run a good race never mind win.
However, at 20/1 and bigger on the exchanges I'll be taking a chance that a new jockey and the reapplication of a hood, as well as this drop in trip, will bring enough out of Balding's charge to roll back the years. Perotto looks far too short in here and a host of the other market leaders, like Escobar look to have left their good form in the past yet are priced up as though they'll give their true running. It is a leap of faith to side with Fox Tal but upsets do happen at the Shergar Cup so hopefully this is another.
As competitive as this card looks, we are given some respite in the last race of the day with short priced favourite QUINAULT looking ready to extend his scarcely believable winning run still further.to seven. The last win was arguably his most impressive yet, scoring by just a neck at the Newmarket July Festival under a big weight. He will have to lug top weight around here again but Stuart Williams' surprise package of the season has proven he can cope with that as well as liking the expected good ground.
A negative could be the fact his regular rider, 5lbs claimer Connor Planas, is not here to take the spin but Luke Morris is a decent replacement and he looks to be the best of this field by some margin. Roger Charlton's Batal Dubai rates the biggest danger according to the bookies, however I'd be more fearful of Saffie Osbourne's ride Dark Trooper, who won in good style at Haydock last time out just a week ago and is clearly enjoying life at the minute.
