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Shergar Cup 2011 |
Shergar
Cup
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racing news /
Ireland Lands Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Hat-Trick
07/08/11
Ireland team captain Richard Hughes marshalled his troops in dramatic fashion to lift the 2011 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup for a third consecutive year.
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With Ireland seizing first, second and fifth - and 28 desperately required points - an amazing fight back was secured. Ireland ended the day with 70 points.
A delighted Hughes, who collected three points on fifth-placed Loki’s Revenge, said: “It’s great. It’s a pity I didn’t ride a winner but I’ve never ridden to the line as much in my life. It was hard.”
“It was a slow start but Fran gave that a peach of a ride. He must have been 12 lengths off the lead but he came through to win. We were just having a bit of a joke at the start saying, if you see anyone in red just knock them down!”
“It was great there to be one and two. We needed to finish one and two to win.”
Great Britain captain Paul Hanagan took the Silver Saddle as the day’s leading rider with 35 points, 10 clear of joint runners-up Hugh Bowman, Mirco Demuro and Colm O’Donoghue, but was disappointed to see his team finish in second place with 63 points.
Hanagan commented: “I’m a bit gutted we didn’t do it as a team but I’m chuffed to bits that I could get the Silver Saddle.
“I’ve really enjoyed it, the atmosphere’s been great. The best jockeys in the world are here so it has been great.”
Rest Of World led the team standings after the second race and maintained its position until after the fifth race. In the sixth and concluding contest, the team in black failed to muster a point and finished the day in third place with 57 points.
Captain Doug Whyte said: “It’s been a great day. We were up in front for a long while and gave everybody a good go but good luck to the Irish, they came good at the end.”
Europe, despite roaring back into contention with Mirco Demuro’s victory in the penultimate contest, was unable to rise above fourth place as it ended proceedings with 50 points.
Team captain Olivier Peslier revealed: "We saw the blackboard and the score (before the last race) and I said OK now we need to fight to get some points.
“I really enjoyed the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup. The team really enjoyed themselves. It was a good atmosphere and I really hope to come back next year."
FINAL TEAM SCORES
IRELAND 70
GREAT BRITAIN 63
REST OF THE WORLD 57
EUROPE 50
FINAL SILVER SADDLE SCORES
PAUL HANAGAN GBR 35
HUGH BOWMAN ROW 25
MIRCO DEMURO EUR 25
COLM O'DONOGHUE IRE 25
RICHARD HUGHES IRE 23
FRAN BERRY IRE 22
CHRISTOPHE LEMAIRE EUR 20
DOUGLAS WHYTE ROW 17
JIM CROWLEY GBR 16
YUTAKA TAKE ROW 15
HAYLEY TURNER GBR 12
OLIVIER PESLIER EUR 5
YUTAKA TAKES RIDE OF THE DAY
Yutaka Take gained some compensation for Team Rest Of The World when he was awarded the ride of the day for his win on Ile De Re in the second race, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers, as chosen by former champion jockey Joe Mercer.
Take said: “I had not even realised there was a prize for a ride of the day, so it came as a complete surprise when they announced it.
“I had aimed to win at least one, so winning the second race was great.
“It is great to bring some good news back to Japan.”
