Dubai Duty Free celebrated its long-standing partnership with Ascot Racecourse in spectacular fashion as the 2026 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup delivered one of the strongest line-ups in the event’s history.
The latest edition of the prestigious international jockeys’ competition featured the debut of Team Hong Kong, who competed against teams representing Great Britain & Ireland, Europe and The Rest of the World.
After a 20-year absence, Ryan Moore made a remarkable return to the competition, guiding Great Britain & Ireland to a decisive victory.
Ryan Moore Wins Leading Rider Award
Moore, who had previously helped Great Britain & Ireland win the competition in 2006, once again emerged as the leading individual jockey.
The three-time UK champion jockey collected the Silver Saddle trophy after finishing the day with 47 points.
Following a seventh-place finish in the opening Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash, Moore produced a series of strong performances in his remaining four rides. He secured victories in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge aboard Asgard’s Captain and the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic with Archers Bay.
“It has been lovely. I’ve enjoyed it. It’s nice to be back here seeing jockeys like Yutaka and Christophe – older jockeys who I was looking up to as a kid,” Moore said.
Great Britain & Ireland Finish on 81 Points
Team captain Saffie Osborne also played a key role in the team’s success, winning the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint on Red Spells Danger.
Dylan Browne McMonagle added further consistency by finishing in the frame in four of his rides, helping Great Britain & Ireland finish at the top of the standings with 81 points.
Osborne praised the event for bringing new audiences to horse racing and showcasing some of the sport’s biggest international stars.
“It has been really good fun,” she said, highlighting the opportunity for younger audiences to choose a team and follow the competition.
Team Hong Kong Makes Strong Debut
Competition newcomers Team Hong Kong made an impressive start to their Shergar Cup campaign.
Jerry Chau and Vincent Ho produced a 1-2 finish in the opening Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash, giving Hong Kong an early advantage.
Thirty-five minutes later, Luke Ferraris added another victory in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers. His performance also earned him the Dubai Duty Free Ride of the Day, selected on behalf of the title sponsor by former English and Irish Derby-winning jockey John Reid MBE.
Despite their strong start, Team Hong Kong ultimately finished joint second with Europe on 62 points.
Europe Finishes Strongly
Europe produced an impressive finish to the competition, with Frida Valle Skar and Christophe Lemaire taking first and second in the closing Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile.
The result helped Europe finish level with Team Hong Kong on 62 points.
Hong Kong jockey Jerry Chau also remained in contention for the leading rider award until the final race. Reflecting on his debut at Ascot, he described winning the opening race as an unexpected but memorable achievement.
Rest of the World Finishes Fourth
The Rest of the World team, featuring legendary Japanese jockey Yutaka Take, Suraj Narredu and Jamie Melham, finished fourth with 39 points.
The presence of internationally recognised jockeys from across the racing world once again underlined the global appeal of the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup.
Dubai Duty Free Celebrates Long-Standing Ascot Partnership
Dubai Duty Free, a partner of the event since its inception and title sponsor since 2006, hosted guests at Ascot Racecourse’s prestigious Panoramic Suite.
Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, attended alongside Sinead El Sibai, Senior Vice President – Marketing, and Salim Dahman, Senior Manager – Marketing.