Ascot announces that Shergar Cup prize-money will rise to £360,000

Ascot has announced increased prize-money of £360,000 for this year’s Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup.

The popular team event consists of six races, each of which will this year be run for £60,000 – up from £45,000 in 2018.

The teams for this year’s competition are now beginning to take shape, with the make-up of the Girls team – who lifted the trophy last summer – now finalised, as Hayley Turner is set to be joined by Jamie Kah from Australia and recent Women Jockeys’ World Cup winner Nanako Fujita.

Tadhg O’Shea will captain the Great Britain and Ireland team and will be joined by title-chasing jockey Danny Tudhope and one rider who has yet to be confirmed.

German captain Filip Minarik is the only confirmed member of the European team, while Yuga Kawada from Japan and Vincent Ho Chak-Yiu are two of the three jockeys set to ride for the Rest of the World.

Ascot is making 200 complimentary Queen Anne Enclosure tickets available to racing staff, with signed up members of RacingGroom.com able to apply for tickets for an afternoon which concludes a headline concert from Jessie J, DJ set by Tinie Tempah and performance from Go West.

Nick Smith, director of racing and communications at Ascot, said: “The Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup takes place at a competitive time of year in the ratings band in which we operate.

“Framing races to provide quality horses, appropriate to the quality of riders we invite to ride in the event, is important, and we hope that £60,000 handicaps, in limited fields of 10, with prize-money down to last place and no entry fees to pay, will add further appeal for owners and trainers.

“Jockeys ride for total event prize-money of £20,000 in addition to their race prize money percentages.

“We are conscious that owners allow us to allocate jockeys on their behalf and horses run in team colours as opposed to their own, so we want to make running financially attractive as well as providing first class race day hospitality.

“This year, we will be extending our thanks to racing staff, who are fundamental to keeping the show on the road, by making 200 Queen Anne Enclosure tickets available through the RacingGroom.com scheme in addition to the £5,000 prizes available to those participating.

“The jockey line up is looking strong, and will be confirmed as soon as retainer commitments are known.”