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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Greg Wood

Talking Horses: Dettori’s Europe the team to watch at Shergar Cup

Frankie Dettori
Frankie Dettori’s Europe team have several decent chances on the Ascot card. Photograph: John Walton/PA

Frankie Dettori returns to the Shergar Cup lineup at Ascot on Saturday for the first time in six years and his European team could be the one to back to defeat the Great Britain and Ireland, Ladies and Rest of The World jockeys’ teams at around 2-1.

Dettori and Antonio Fresu have decent winning chances on the card along with Rene Piechulek, last year’s Arc-winning jockey on Torquator Tasso.

Jose-Luis Martinez, the fourth member of the squad, should also provide strong support, with four of his five rides likely to start at odds between 5-2 and 6-1.

Ascot 1.35 Epsom Faithfull has improved through the season and produced another career-best at this track last time. The step back up to seven furlongs should not be an issue and she can give Piechulek his first winner in Britain.

Ascot 2.10 King Of Stars has an obvious chance on his run over course and distance last month and Takeshi Yokoyama will not need to worry unduly about tactics on this confirmed front-runner.

Haydock 2.25 Having missed the 2021 season entirely, Electrical Storm has started making up for lost time this summer and his third in a strong race at Sandown in early July gives him every chance of a second win of the campaign here.

Lingfield Park 

1.30 Pump It Up
2.00 Lady Jane Grey
2.30 Al Agaila
3.00 Healing Power
3.30 Secret Strength
4.05 Glenister 

Nottingham 

2.15 Stormy Pearl
2.45 Fox Island
3.15 Rampoldi Plan
3.50 Audience
4.25 Cooperation
5.00 Nine Elms 

Chelmsford City 

4.45 Menalippe
5.20 Mary Of Modena
5.55 Ramdon Rocks
6.30 Diffident Spirit
7.05 Brute Force
7.40 Company Minx
8.15 Hashtagmetoo

Carlisle 

5.10 Just Hiss
5.40 Navy Wren
6.15 Monsieur Kodi
6.50 Indian Sounds (nap)
7.25 Carnival Zain (nb)
8.00 Bastille
8.35 Yeeeaah

Ascot 2.45 Super Superjack is edging up the weights but his close second at Glorious Goodwood last month suggests another success is not beyond him at a track where he has winning form.

Haydock 3.00 Grocer Jack bolted up on his debut for William Haggas last month and anything close to that form will make him very tough to beat.

Ascot 3.20 After four straight wins, The Whipmaster was only second to a fast-improving rival last time but the third horse home was 14 lengths away and he still has scope from his new mark.

Newmarket 3.40 Lakota Sioux’s habit of flashing her tail while racing is a little off-putting but it does not seem to affect her performance and her two-and-a-half length third in the Chesham Stakes last time is the strongest form in this Group Three contest.

Ascot 3.55 Dettori has a big chance on front-running Isla Kai, who goes well at this track and finished sixth in the Hunt Cup in June.

The Curragh 4.15 An excellent renewal of the Phoenix Stakes with Bradsell, the Coventry Stakes winner, fancied to extend his unbeaten record and give Hollie Doyle her third Group One of the summer.

Ascot 4.30 Hamaki has a steadily progressive profile and looks ready for this step up to 12 furlongs.

Ascot 5.05 The first and fourth horses home in the valuable three-year-old sprint handicap at Newmarket’s July meeting went in next time out and Admiral D, the runner-up there, can follow suit.

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