Bank on the female riders’ squad lifting Ascot’s unique Shergar Cup

The Shergar Cup always attracts some talented but unfamiliar jockeys to its six handicap events at Ascot and Marie Vélon, who was the first female rider to win a Group One race in France when she landed the Prix Royal-Oak in October 2022, could raise her UK profile significantly when she makes her British debut in the latest renewal of the competition on Saturday.

Vélon has a realistic chance of a double in the first two races while four of her five rides are priced up in single figures and the fifth is a fair 12-1 chance.

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She offers plenty of appeal at around 7-1 to emerge as the leading points-earner on the day while Hayley Turner could chip in the for “the Ladies” in the final event, so the 11-4 about a win for their team could also be worth a small interest.

Ascot 1.35: A course-and-distance win last year from an 8lb higher mark makes Vélon’s mount Badri the marginal pick in a tight Shergar Cup opener at around 5-1.

Ascot 2.10: A race that could change abruptly if there is a late non-runner as Gordon Elliott’s Samui, the reserve, would be a live contender if he gets in. In his absence, Vélon will have another very strong chance aboard Andrew Balding’s Spirit Mixer.

Haydock 2.25: The impeccably bred Kilt – by Kingman out of Dank, the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner – has been gelded since a slightly sub-par run last time and an opening mark of 87 could well underestimate his potential.

Ascot 2.45: Alan King’s four-year-old Insanity remains lightly raced with only six runs on the Flat to his name and could well step up on his recent second-place finish over track and trip.

Haydock 3.00: A 439-day absence is an obvious concern but Anmaat took a Group One in France on his latest start and was an impressive winner of this race two years ago.

Ascot 3.20: Jarraaf has plenty of scope for progress after only four starts and comfortably beat the track specialist Fresh over track and trip last time out.

Newmarket 3.40: A drop in class and step up in trip may well be just what Mountain Breeze needs to get back to the winner’s enclosure after a fine run into second in a Group Two at the July meeting here.

Ascot 3.55: William Haggas’s Solomon escapes a penalty for his comfortable win at Haydock last weekend and will be hard to beat if he runs to anything like the same level.

Ascot 4.30: New Image took his form to a new level when second in the valuable International Handicap on King George day here and has an obvious chance on that form.