Great Britain & Ireland captain Jamie Spencer bagged his first winner at the 2022 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup aboard Themaxwecan (9/1) in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers.
Spencer, riding at the meeting for a seventh time, was always well-placed in the steadily run two-mile contest and his mount fought bravely to the line to win by half a length. It was a bunched finish behind the winner, with Going Gone (9/1) edging second for Europe and Golden Flame (16/1) third for Rest of the World. Moliwood (40/1) and Island Brave (16/1), representing Europe and Great Britain & Ireland respectively, dead-heated for fourth.
This propelled Spencer (22pts) to the head of the race for the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle, just ahead of Neil Callan (20pts). Great Britain & Ireland (60pts) have now built an 18-point lead over the Rest Of The World (42pts) in the overall standings, with the Ladies on 39pts.
Spencer said: “I’m good friends with the owner Douglas Livingston and I had to wait for the Shergar Cup draw for me to get a ride for him. Themaxwecan has been a good servant and it is just nice to get on the horse. He has gone down in the weights a bit, so he was entitled to have a good chance today.
“We went fast until the winning post and then slowed down. There was an Aussie up front, so we were never going to go too fast. He has been running his races a bit lethargically this year, but he came alive at the half-mile pole. I just wanted to follow Emma-Jayne to the straight, nip out and get rolling. He was very brave in the last furlong.”
Winning co-trainer Mark Johnston said: “Themaxwecan is a difficult horse. He is a bit moody at times. Jamie’s not ridden him before – amazingly because he’s very friendly with the owner. He said he’d spoken to James Doyle beforehand and James said you’ll know as soon as you’re on him whether he is in the mood for it. Jamie said he had a beautiful journey round and knew turning for home that he was going to run a big one.
“Douglas Livingston is a big fan of Ascot. He comes to the Royal meeting every year. He has had a couple of winners here but never at the Royal meeting and never at the Shergar Cup, so it’s great for him.”
Owner Douglas Livingston said: “It is a fantastic day. We have had Themaxwecan since he was a yearling. He has got his quirks, but he knows his way around here and Jamie said that! Jamie is a very dear friend. Jamie and I go back a long time, and it is special that he was riding today.
“This horse is just a pleasure to own. He takes us to all the big meetings, all the festivals. I enjoy the Shergar Cup and over the years have had a few runners.”
Rene Piechulek, who rode Going Gone, said: “He jumped out of the stalls very slow. The trainer said give him a good race. The race was very slow, but he fought until the post, so everyone is happy.”
Golden Flame’s rider Jason Collett said: “I got a comfortable lead, quickened nicely into the straight, but we just got out-toughed by the winner.”
2.45pm Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers
1 Themaxwecan (GB & IRE) Charlie & Mark Johnston 6-9-09 Jamie Spencer 9/1
2 Going Gone (EUR) Jim Boyle 4-9-12 Rene Piechulek 9/1
3 Golden Flame (ROW) Charlie & Mark Johnston 4-9-08 Jason Collett 16/1
4 Moliwood (GB & IRE) Dylan Cunha 4-9-05 Kieran Shoemark
4 Island Brave (EUR) Heather Main 8-9-12 Jose-Luis Martinez
Team standings after race 4:
GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND 60
REST OF THE WORLD 42
LADIES 39
EUROPE 31
Individual standings after race 3:
Jamie Spencer GBI 22
Neil Callan GBI 20
Joanna Mason LADIES 15
Hayley Turner LADIES 15
Kieran Shoemark GBI 14
Jason Collett ROW 14
Takeshi Yokoyama ROW 13
Rene Piechulek EUR 13
Christophe Lemaire ROW 10
Frankie Dettori EUR 10
Nicola Currie LADIES 9
Kerrin McEvoy ROW 5
Daniel Tudhope GBI 4
Antonio Fresu EUR 4
José-Luis Martinez EUR 4