The 2026 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot Racecourse concluded on Saturday, featuring what many observers described as the strongest field in the event’s history. The competition marked a significant milestone in the long-standing partnership between Dubai Duty Free and the racecourse, which dates back to the turn of the century. This year’s edition introduced a new format, featuring Team Hong Kong competing alongside squads from Great Britain & Ireland, Europe, and The Rest of the World.
Great Britain & Ireland claimed a decisive victory, finishing the day with 81 points. The team was spearheaded by three-time UK champion jockey Ryan Moore, who returned to the event after a 20-year absence. Moore, who previously led the same team to victory during his 2006 debut, secured the Silver Saddle trophy for the most successful individual rider with 47 points. After a seventh-place finish in the opening Dash, Moore placed in the top three in his four subsequent rides, including victories in the Challenge on Asgard’s Captain and the Classic on Archers Bay. Reflecting on his return, Moore stated, “It has been lovely. I’ve enjoyed it. It’s nice to be back here seeing jockeys like Yutaka Take and Christophe Lemaire—older jockeys who I was looking up to as a kid. Hopefully everyone has enjoyed it.”
Team captain Saffie Osborne contributed to the winning tally by securing the Sprint on Red Spells Danger. Teammate Dylan Browne McMonagle also performed strongly, placing in the frame on four of his mounts. Osborne praised the event’s atmosphere, noting, “It has been really good fun. As I said before, it’s a brilliant day to get new people involved in the sport and showcase what fun this industry is. It’s brilliant for a younger audience to be able to pick a team and follow them, and to have such world-class jockeys here is brilliant.”
Competition newcomers Team Hong Kong made a bold entrance, taking an early lead after Jerry Chau and Vincent Ho finished first and second in the Dash. Luke Ferraris later secured a win in the Stayers, earning him the Dubai Duty Free Ride of the Day, an honor judged by former Derby-winning jockey John Reid MBE. Despite their strong start, the team finished the day tied for second with Europe on 62 points. Europe’s late surge was bolstered by Frida Valle Skar and Christophe Lemaire, who took the top two spots in the final race, the Mile.
Reflecting on his debut, Ferraris expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, stating, “I am pleased with that, although I don’t think I can take too much credit for it as Ian Williams produced the horse in such great order. The whole experience has been very good. We started off really well and, although we couldn’t keep it up to the end, I am thrilled to have ridden a winner. I think we have done Hong Kong proud. I’ll be back hopefully.”
Jerry Chau, who remained in contention for the top jockey title until the final race, also shared his positive experience. “The day has gone better than I expected,” he said. “To win the first race—which I did not expect—was great and showed me everything. A first ride and first winner at Ascot was a great experience for me.”
The Rest of the World team, consisting of Yutaka Take, Suraj Narredu, and Jamie Melham, finished fourth with 39 points. While Narredu did not secure a win, he remained enthusiastic about the event. “It has been a great day to be part of, even though I did not ride a winner,” he remarked. “It is an honour and a privilege to be part of the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup. There are 12 jockeys and only six races, so it happens that you can miss out, but I would love to come back again.”
Dubai Duty Free leadership, including Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi, Senior Vice President of Marketing Sinead El Sibai, and Senior Manager of Marketing Salim Dahman, hosted guests in the Panoramic Suite. The company has been a partner of the event since its inception and the title sponsor since 2006.
Cidambi praised the day’s proceedings, stating, “Today we have enjoyed a fabulous renewal of the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup with a stellar line-up of jockeys. Our guests drawn from multiple sectors including travel retail media, the horseracing industry and commercial partners witnessed a thrilling competition in first-class surroundings and very pleasant weather. We congratulate the Great Britain & Ireland team on their victory and extend our thanks to all participants who embraced the competition with such great spirit and friendly rivalry.”
With a line-up widely regarded as the best ever in the history of the event, Dubai Duty Free (DDF) celebrated a partnership with Ascot Racecourse that extends to the turn of the century in fine style at the 2026 edition
