Ryan Moore bagged a Shergar Cup double on his return to the competition following a 20-year absence to help his Great Britain and Ireland team win the team event while he was also crowned leading rider over the six races.
Winner of the Silver Saddle on his last appearance at the team-based meeting in 2006, Moore has usually been required to ride on a Group One card in Ireland.
But with that meeting put back 24 hours he was free to attend and delighted the Ascot crowd.
Team Great Britain and Ireland topped the standings on 81 points from Team Hong Kong in second on 62, with Moore’s individual haul of 47 enough to take the Silver Saddle.
He first struck on Dylan Cunha’s Asgard’s Captain (13-2) who stuck to his task gamely to win the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge by a length and a quarter from Yutake Take on Sportingsilvermine for the Rest of the World.
Moore said: “Dylan did say he could be a little bit lazy, but he has an uncomplicated attitude and to just help him through it and it was straightforward, really.
“It’s great to get Dylan a winner here today and the owners will be delighted as they were all looking forward to it, so it’s a good job the horse has performed today.”
In the penultimate Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic, he gave Marco Botti’s Archers Bay (5-2) a textbook ride coming home three-and-a-quarter lengths clear of Christophe Lemaire on King Of Berkshire for Team Europe.
Having run in the Italian Derby earlier in the season, he looked the class act and so it proved.
In the closing Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile, Moore finished third on Ozat behind the Frida Valle Skar-ridden Crown Board (10-1), but her Team Europe were not in contention for top honours by then.
Saffie Osborne thrives in the team environment and got her name on the scoresheet when Tim Easterby’s Red Spells Danger justified 2-1 favouritism in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint.
Osborne was leading rider in the Racing League on three occasions and is captaining Moore and Dylan Browne McMonagle in Team Great Britain and Ireland.
She said: “I heard a few people knocking this horse today but I thought the track would really suit and it has. I’m just glad I pulled my finger out.
“Looking at the standard of jockeys here today, it’s amazing – look at our team with Ryan Moore and Ireland’s champion jockey.
“The win for me today is that I made Ryan laugh a couple of times, so I’m quite happy with that!”
Team Hong Kong had earlier set the pace winning the first two races.
Jerry Chau gave them the perfect start when partnering Tuco Salamanca to a clear-cut victory in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash.
Representing a team making its Shergar Cup debut, Chau, 26, gave Ollie Sangster’s four-year-old the perfect ride, taking a lead into the final furlong before a gap opened up seamlessly.
Tuco Salamanca (4-1) quickened impressively to beat Gold Star Hero, ridden by Chau’s team-mate Vincent Ho, by a length and a half.
Fandom and Suraj Narredu were third for the Rest of the World.
Chau told Sky Sports Racing: “It felt amazing when I hit the line.
“No words can describe riding a winner at Ascot. I grew up watching Ryan Moore on YouTube. I watched him as much as I could.”
Luke Ferraris did not have to wait long to play his part for Team Hong Kong as after an opening race one-two from his team-mates, he drove home Dancing In Paris to win the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers.
Riding the Ian Williams-trained 17-2 shot, Ferraris came with a late run to collar Moore on Andrew Balding’s Shrimp Shady to win by a length.
Mountain Road was third for Yutake Take and the Rest of the World.
Ferraris said: “That’s phenomenal, he’s a lot fitter than me! He was turned out in great order.
“He didn’t settle as good as he should have, but he still produced a great turn of foot.
“I think I’ve only ridden in one two-mile race in recent years, so it was a bit of a change.
“We’ve a good group of young riders representing Hong Kong, so let’s hope it continues.”
