The Girls captain Hayley Turner landed the two-mile £60,000 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers aboard the John Best-trained seven-year-old Eddystone Rock (13/2).
Turner, riding at her 13th Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup was full of confidence in the home straight and ran on strongly to record a two and a quarter-length victory over Theglasgowwarrior (12/1).
Royal Ascot-winning rider Turner picked up 15 points for The Girls team with her success.
Best said: “Eddystone Rock did that nicely. I’ve been saying for a while that I thought he would appreciate a step up to two miles and this was his first start over the trip on turf and he saw it out strongly.
“We would have run in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge over 12-furlongs, but we were balloted out. I’m pleased it went wrong for us and we ended up in this race!
“The Shergar Cup is a great event and if we have a horse good enough to compete, we always try to have a runner.
“The prize money is fantastic and I’m delighted that it has worked out today.
“He’s won plenty of prize money throughout his career and he did that nicely again today.
“I’m not sure where we will go now with Eddystone Rock, but the fact that he clearly stays two miles opens up plenty of options for us now.”
SHERGAR CUP QUEEN HAYLEY TURNER WINS THE STAYERS
The Girls captain Hayley Turner, last year’s winner of the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle, kicked home yet another Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Day winner when steering Eddystone Rock (13/2) to a two and a quarter length success in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers.
A beaming Turner, such a supporter of the day and this year making a record 13th appearance in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, said: “I just love it, it is such a fun day. It is great to ride a winner. The race went without a hitch.
“We went a nice gallop, which I wasn’t expecting, and Eddystone Rock got into a nice rhythm. He has not stayed this far before, but he did it easily there. I needed a break [a few seasons ago] and I don’t regret it, but I am certainly glad that I decided to come back. Ascot is such a great track to ride and there is always a great atmosphere.”
Ascot Racecourse is indeed a special place for the jockey – this year Turner became the second female jockey to win at Royal Ascot, following Gay Kelleway’s success in 1987, when successful on Thanks Be in the Sandringham Handicap.
Turner is the leading Shergar Cup jockey by total points won – coming into today she was on 257 points. She added another 15 to her total with this victory, a seventh Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Day success for Turner.
It was all hugs and kisses for Turner after this success – many of her family here to enjoy the day and on hand to congratulate the jockey on her victory.
‘HAYLEY TOO STRONG FOR US’, SAYS ZAHRA
Australian jockey Mark Zahra and the Jim Goldie-trained Theglasgowwarrior finished second to Hayley Turner and Eddystone Rock in the two-mile £60,000 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers at odds of 12/1.
They were two and a quarter lengths behind the winners, and earned Zahra, who is riding at the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup for the first time, 10 points for the Rest of the World Team.
He is in joint-third with his fellow Aussie, Jamie Kah of The Girls team, in the Alastair Haggas Silver Saddle contest for the rider amassing the most points during the day.
Zahra said: “He ran super. I sound like I’m having a bit of a blow myself – we don’t have as many two-mile races in Australia! Hayley was just too strong for us today.”
Theglasgowwarrior’s trainer Jim Goldie said: “I’m delighted. I just wish Hayley hadn’t been travelling quite as well as she was! We were running for second when she opened up, but he’s run a good race and I’m delighted with the horse. He likes Hamilton, and he likes right-handed tracks. He’s run well.”
Third was 4/1 chance What A Welcome, ridden by Filip Minarik for trainer Patrick Chamings.
Minarik, who leads the Silver Saddle standings with 17 points, said: “The pace was not strong enough; it was too slow for What A Welcome. He settled but still travelled a bit too well.
“I have some more points, which is brilliant.”
RESULT 2
1:40pm £60,000 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers 1m 7f 209y
1 (6) Eddystone Rock (IRE) 7 9 6 John Best Curtis, Malt & Williams Hayley Turner GIRLS 13/2
2 (7) Theglasgowwarrior 5 9 5 Jim Goldie Mrs Lucille Bone Mark Zahra ROW 12/1
3 (8) What A Welcome 5 9 13 Patrick Chamings Mrs K Meredith and Partners Filip Minarik EUR 4/1
4 (4) Grandee (IRE) 5 9 4 Roger Fell Nick Bradley Racing 16 & Sohi & Partner Yuga Kawada ROW 6/1
5 (5) Aircraft Carrier (IRE) v 4 10 0 John Ryan Mr John Stocker Tadhg O’Shea GBI 16/1
6 (12) Al Kout h 5 9 0 Heather Main John Rylands and Wetumpka Racing Gerald Mosse EUR 22/1
7 (1) Lorelina 6 9 7 Andrew Balding Lisahully Investments Ltd Jamie Kah GIRLS 12/1
8 (3) Blue Laureate 4 9 3 Ian Williams Mr A. Dale Nanako Fujita (3) GIRLS 11/2
9 (11) Billy Ray 4 9 7 Mick Channon Mr P. Trant Danny Tudhope GBI 11/4FAV
10 (10) Alfredo (IRE) ts, p 7 9 8 Seamus Durack Mr Stephen Tucker & Mr Keith Mcintosh Jamie Spencer GBI 16/1
Non-Runner: Time To Study (Going) replaced by first reserve Al Kout
Time: 3m 31.83s
Distances: 2¼, 2¾, 1½, 2, ns, 2¾, 1¾, 7, 137
Tote win: £8.10 PL: £2.30 £3.40 £1.70 Ex: £88.20 CSF: £84.73 Tricast: £358.06 Trifecta: £680.60