MENU © SINCE 1711 Book now TEAMS CONFIRMED FOR THE 2021 DUBAI DUTY FREE SHERGAR CUP 4th Aug 2021 Share this This year’s Derby winner Adam Kirby to captain Great Britain The 2021 Gold Cup winning jockey Joe Fanning leads Ireland The most successful jockey in Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup history, Hayley Turner, captains the Ladies team Royal Ascot winning riders from this summer Cieren Fallon and Andrea Atzeni also set to take part A star-studded array of jockeys will once again line up for the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot this year with four new-look teams set to do battle in the 20th running of the event. Taking place on Saturday, 7th August, the four teams will be Great Britain, Ireland, Ladies and Rest of the World, with three jockeys on each side. Great Britain will be captained by Adam Kirby, this year’s Derby winning jockey who makes his second appearance in the competition. He will be joined by James Doyle, one of the leading jockeys in the world who has recorded top-level success across the globe, and one of this year’s Royal Ascot-winning jockeys Cieren Fallon, best known for his association with high-class sprinter Oxted. Doyle is making his third appearance in the competition having ridden a winner apiece in 2012 and 2013. Fallon is making his Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup debut but will be looking to maintain a strong family tradition on the day after his father, Kieren, won the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle in 2003 and was on the winning team in 2001 and 2002. This year’s Gold Cup-winning jockey Joe Fanning will captain the Ireland side and he will have the help of rising-star David Egan who has enjoyed big-race success in Saudi Arabia and Dubai this season. The Ireland team is completed by Tadhg O’Shea, the most decorated jockey of all-time in the UAE having ridden more than 600 winners and he claimed a record ninth UAE jockey’s championship this season. A formidable Ladies team will be captained by Hayley Turner, the most successful jockey in the history of the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup with eight winners and 297 points from 13 appearances. Turner’s team will also feature globe-trotting sensation Mickaëlle Michel from France and Scottish jockey Nicola Currie who makes her first appearance. Michel was France’s Champion Apprentice in 2018 with 72 victories, the most wins in a calendar year by a female jockey in France. The 26-year-old also enjoyed a prolific stint on Japan’s NAR circuit last year, partnering 30 winners and setting a record for wins by a foreign jockey on a short-term licence. Speaking via Zoom this morning, Michel said: “I am really excited to ride in the Shergar Cup. It is a new experience for me, I have never ridden in the UK. I am riding at one of the most famous racecourses with famous jockeys and on Shergar Cup Day. I know there is a special atmosphere, so I cannot wait for Saturday. “I want to be an international jockey like Frankie Dettori and Christophe Soumillon. I have already ridden in many different countries. The Shergar Cup was a goal for me, now it is very nice to be there, and I will enjoy the day. “I am very happy that Hayley Turner is captain. I know her and have ridden with her before. She knows Ascot and the Shergar Cup very well, so it is a good advantage for the team and I’m sure we will be a good team together. “I have had good experiences across the world and do lots of research to know the horses before the race. I have watched many races in the UK and have ridden a few races with British jockeys. I will walk the track in the morning. I spoke to Christophe Soumillon a few days ago and he has given me some advice about the track. We will see – I have a lot of experience riding everywhere.” Michel’s biggest success so far came aboard Walderbe in the G2 Premio Jockey Club at San Siro, Italy, last autumn. She also rode the five-year-old to finish second behind Subjectivist on Dubai World Cup Night in March. Michel continued: “Winning a Group One is of course my next target. I would also like to pass the JRA exam to become a jockey in Japan next year. I had a JRA licence but that has been cancelled, so I am waiting to maybe do the JRA exam in September. I have until the end of September to pass the exam, but I don’t have dates in terms of how that will all work out. I want to stay in France as we have good horses, but I think they are not ready to have female jockeys riding in big races. I have worked hard for that. In Japan by contrast, they like me and give me big rides. “The situation in France for female jockeys is better now compared to three or four years ago. We work more and get more opportunities, but it is rare to see female jockeys ride in big races. For example, look at the racing in France yesterday, you do not see female jockeys riding in the Group Three, Group Two or Group One. “It’s very good publicity when we see a female jockey like Hollie Doyle win a Group One. The female jockeys in France love seeing this as it is great publicity for her, but also female jockeys. She shows that she can do it, but also that we can do it! “It shows you to never give up and I think we are going the right way. In the UK you have famous female jockeys like Hollie, Josephine Gordon and Hayley Turner. In the US they have famous female jockeys, but in France we are a little bit late. It is like this and if every female jockey around the world can work hard then we can do it. “Every winner can change your career – a small winner or a big one. If I can win one race in Ascot, it is famous. I know it is rare to come to Ascot and for a female international jockey even more rare. It is therefore a big opportunity to ride at the Shergar Cup and if I can ride a winner, then that will be a big impact for me.” Sean Levey will lead the Rest of the World team and the Swaziland-born Classic-winning jockey will be joined by Kevin Stott from Denmark who tasted Royal Ascot success for the first time in 2020 with a final day double including Hello Youmzain in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes. Completing the line-up is Italian Andrea Atzeni who enjoyed Royal Ascot success earlier this summer. Nick Smith, Director of Racing and Public Affairs at Ascot Racecourse, said: “We’re thrilled with the jockey line up for the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup this year. Obviously COVID-19 has made international travel very difficult so to pull together such a strong set of teams that still has a global feel is really pleasing. “It should be a great days racing and another thrilling renewal of the competition which sadly didn’t take place last year but we look forward to building the day back up in the years to come.” Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice President & CEO Colm McLoughlin said, “The Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup is undoubtedly one of the highlights of our horseracing sponsorship portfolio and one of Ascot’s most popular events. “Unfortunately the ongoing Covid-19 travel restrictions will prevent us from being there in person this year, but we will be following all the action closely from Dubai as the day unfolds and we wish all the jockeys and the horses’ connections a great day.” Dubai Duty Free Ride of the Day In previous years, the Dubai Duty Free Ride of the Day has been judged together by Joe Mercer and John Reid. This year’s award will be presented in Joe’s memory and the trophy will be inscribed to reflect that. Joe’s very good friend and former jockey, Trevor Rogers, will judge this year’s award and present the trophy. Prize money A total of £252,000 will be available in prize money on the day, spread equally across the six handicaps at £42,000 for each race. Entry is free for every race. The prize money is split across all runners in every race with the winner claiming £20,655 down to £516 for tenth. All reserves will receive £500 if they don’t get a run but travel to the racecourse. Ascot Racecourse will also distribute almost £7,000 in awards for stable staff throughout the day. Each race there will be a £200 prize for the best turned out and £200 to the staff member responsible for the winning horse with £100 to staff members responsible for 2nd to 5th placed horses. There will also be a £2,000 bonus prize paid to the most successful stable based on total Shergar Cup points. 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