A press conference for the
jockeys involved in Saturday's Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup was held today in
the picturesque surroundings of Coworth Park, the five-star country house hotel
situated close to Ascot Racecourse.
All three members of The
Girls team - Rosie Napravnik, Lisa Allpress and Cathy Gannon -
were present, along with Gary Stevens and Yasunari Iwata from the
Rest of the World team.
THE GIRLS TEAM
Rosie Napravnik (USA,
Captain)
Rosie Napravnik is the female
jockey of the moment in North America. The 25-year-old may have been jetlagged
today after arriving early this morning (Thursday, August 8) following a long
and delayed journey but there was no mistaking her commitment to do well in the
Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot on Saturday (August
10).
It is the second time she
has been asked to participate in the 12-strong international jockeys'
competition. Last year she chose Saratoga over Ascot. This year Ascot just won
out over the upstate New York meet.
She explained:
"Coming here is a little bit tough because it is right in the middle of
our premier meeting - Saratoga. It is quite a commitment.
"I was asked to come
last year to the Shergar Cup and I declined because it was my first Saratoga.
My agent and I discussed what races we would be sacrificing this year, but I
really wanted the experience at Ascot."
She has not been to
England before and has not seen much so far, coming straight from the airport
to a hotel - Coworth Park - near Ascot. She plans to see a bit of London
tomorrow before devoting herself to Ascot Racecourse on Saturday.
"I have done a few
jockey challenges, but not anything involving an elite group like this from all
over the world. I am looking forward to it very much. It should be very
competitive.
"I have a lot of
studying to do and will talk to Gary (Stevens). He has ridden here before and
is somebody I can relate with."
She may be a high-profile
Flat jockey but jump racing has been a constant presence.
"For a Flat jockey, I
have had quite of bit of European influence. My first gallop job was with
Jonathan Sheppard and I have worked for various other steeplechase trainers.
"I have not ridden in
a race over hurdles but I have schooled over them and, as a matter of fact, I
was schooling a couple of weeks ago for fun. My sister trains steeplechase
horses.
"When I was a kid, we
did field master chase races, which is basically kids over timber following
behind a field master until after the last and then racing to the line."
Rosie Napravnik
Born: February 9, 1988, Mendham,
New Jersey
Background: Rosie Napravnik grew up
around horses and rode from a very early age. Her mother (Cindy) trained show
horses, while her father (Charles) is a blacksmith. Her older sister Jazz
became a keen pony racing rider and is now a trainer. Rosie followed in her sister's
footsteps with pony racing at the age of seven. She rode work for leading jump
and Flat trainers Jonathan Sheppard (from age of 13) and Jack Fisher. She got
her exercise licence in 2004 at Pimlico Racecourse. Shortly after finishing
high school, she had her first ride on the Dickie Small-trained Ringofdiamonds
and made all on the filly at Pimlico Racecourse on June 9, 2005. That first
year as a Flat apprentice yielded 71 successes. She gained a career best of 300
winners in 2006 and finished runner-up to Julien Leparoux for the Eclipse Award
as outstanding apprentice jockey that year. Her first Kentucky Derby ride came
in 2011 when she was ninth on Pants On Fire. She has ridden 1,597 US winners
(up to August 5) and had career earnings in excess of US$53 million. She rode
in the Belmont Stakes for the first time in 2012 and came fifth aboard Five
Sixteen. At the end of 2012, her earnings for the year were $12,451,713, a new
record for a female rider. This year, she partnered Mylute to finish fifth in
the Kentucky Derby and then piloted the same colt to third in the Preakness
Stakes - the two best finishes by a female jockey in the first two races of the
American Triple Crown. She was also sixth on Unlimited Budget in the 2013
Belmont Stakes. She has been based in New Orleans since 2010 with husband Joe
Sharp and is the leading rider at Fair Grounds. She has suffered a number of
serious injuries since she started out as a jockey, including fracturing her
spine, two broken wrists and a broken leg. Accolades: Won riding titles
at Pimlico, Laurel Park, Delaware and Fair Grounds; first female to ride in all
three legs of American Triple Crown in the same year. American Classic Wins
(1): Kentucky Oaks (2012 Believe You Can) Other Big Race Wins: Hopeful
Stakes (2012 Shanghai Bobby), Champagne Stakes (2012 Shanghai Bobby), Breeders'
Cup Juvenile (2012 Shanghai Bobby), Acorn Stakes (2013 Midnight Lucky), Santa
Margarita Invitational Stakes (2013 Joyful Victory), Jamaica Handicap (2012
King David),
Dubai Duty Free Shergar
Cup debut
Lisa Allpress (New
Zealand)
Lisa Allpress is
determined, on her first visit to England, to make her mark in the Dubai Duty
Free Shergar Cup at Ascot.
The New Zealand champion
in 2011/12 has flown over to take part in the international jockeys'
competition on Saturday (August 10).
She was involved in
another riders' contest - the Selangor Turf Club Australasian Bloodstock
International Jockeys' Championship - in Malaysia in June, partnering a winner
and placed horses to finish third overall over the two days.
Allpress commented:
"Not to taking anything away at all from the Malaysian competition, the
Shergar Cup is a massive step up - another level - and I am really looking
forward to it.
"The whole aspect of
riding at Ascot to start with, and the experience of riding in another country
up against the best jockeys in the world.
"My husband and I
walked the track at Ascot this morning (Thursday, August 8). It does not look
as daunting and scary when you walk out there as it does on video. We have been
videoing all the races from England ahead of the Shergar Cup
"We walked the round
course with Chris Stickels (Ascot's clerk of the course) and then the straight
course.
"I want to win on
Saturday. I don't think there is any point putting silks on if you wish to run
second or third."
In the Girls team with her
on Saturday are American star Rosie Napravnik and Cathy Gannon, who has made
her name in England after starting out in Ireland.
Allpress commented:
"Luckily, two weeks ago in New Zealand, there were was a documentary on 60
Minutes about Rosie Napravnik which was very interesting. There is an
apprentice in New Zealand called Samantha Wynne and she knows Cathy Gannon. So
I have had previews of my two team-mates, as well as just meeting them."
A top-four jockey for the
last five seasons in New Zealand, Allpress has carved out a successful riding
career and is now looking further afield.
As well as this first trip
to Britain, the 38-year-old is commencing a three-month riding stint in
Singapore on September 1 and taking all her family there - husband Karl and
children Angus (5) and Josh (8).
The 2012/2013 season in
New Zealand ended on July 31 and the new season started straight away on August
1.
"I have renewed my
licence in New Zealand but only to ride in the Shergar Cup. After this, we go
home for four days to pick up the children and head to Singapore."
She arrived in England a
week ago and spent two mornings with Godolphin in Newmarket at the start of
this week.
"It was an amazing
experience. Newmarket is like a dream world for horses - beautiful. I
absolutely loved it."
She has had a strong
connection with Japan - going there to ride trackwork for a year when she was
18 and subsequently being only the second female jockey to be licensed in the
country. She enjoyed four JRA winners during a three-month spell and had two
NRA successes as well.
She went to Macau for an
apprentice competition in her fourth year of riding, which was her first
experience of international racing.
"I always had the
ambition to ride out my apprentice claim, partner lots of winners and then at
some stage have an international career. "
The New Zealand
apprenticeship lasts for four years and Lisa started later than normal - at the
age of 20 - after travelling. Born in Taranaki on the North Island, she was
brought up with ponies and riding at shows. She became a vet nurse after
leaving school.
"When I returned to
New Zealand, there was no job in the vet clinic so I started riding trackwork
but did not want to remain doing that for the rest of my life and I decided to
become a jockey.
"The trainer I was
apprenticed to was Kevin Gray. He is renowned for having very good apprentices
and three, including myself, have ridden over 1,000 winners. He still trains
and has 80 to 90 horses."
She returned to Taranaki
five years ago, after having been based in the headquarters of New Zealand
racing, Matamata.
"I have not looked
back since. I whacked away as an apprentice - I wasn't a natural but I worked
hard. I rode over 100 winners then, the third best of my time. I had a
successful apprenticeship without setting the world alight.
"The competition in
Matamata is intense as the good jockeys and trainers are based there. We have
trials for young horses and there can be between 18 and 30 in a day and I will
ride as many as I can. Being in Matamata, you weren't guaranteed to get those
good rides, despite working very hard.
"We moved back to
Taranaki and I went from being 20th in the jockeys' list to the top four -
which I have been in for the last five years.
"Women are making
their mark in New Zealand racing. It has been tough and not just on the track -
for women in racing in general - whether they are presenters, journalists,
administrators or whatever. I go and do my job and the proof is the results.
"I aspire to being
champion jockey in another country. I will just see how I get on in Singapore
for three months and, if things are going well, I would like to extend my
contract. I can always go home, but I don't know how much longer I will keep
riding there. If I go back, it will be with the aim of winning more Group One
races rather than the premiership again.
"No way would I want
to be a trainer. We have two boys so I have a very full-on life and the
children always come first."
Lisa Allpress
Born: May 20, 1975, Stratford,
New Zealand
Background: Lisa Allpress worked as a
vet nurse until the age of 18 and signed an apprenticeship with Kevin Gray at
the age of 20. Partnered her first winner on the Gray-trained Final Forecast at
Hawera Racecourse on March 17, 1996. Has had 63 Listed and Group race successes
and career earnings in excess of NZ$13 million. She took part in the Selangor
Turf Club Australasian Bloodstock International Jockeys Championship (IJC)
series in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in June and finished third.Her victory tally
in New Zealand stands at 1,054 (August 5). Besides Singapore and New Zealand,
Allpress has also ridden in Australia, Macau, Malaysia and Japan. She is
married to Karl and they have children Angus (5) and Josh (8). The whole family
will be in Singapore when she has a three-month riding stint there from
September 1. Accolades: First female jockey to ride 1,000 winners in New
Zealand - Kekova at Tauherenikau on February 6, 2013. She captured the New
Zealand jockeys' premiership in 2011/2012 with a career best total of 159. Big
race wins: Captain Cook Stakes (2010 We Can Say It Now), Makfi Challenge
Stakes (2012 Ocean Park), Lion City Cup (Singapore - 2002 Classic Marco),
Wellington Cup (2013 Blood Brotha), NZ Cup (2012 Blood Brotha), Desert
Gold Stakes (2012 Quintessential).
Dubai Duty Free Shergar
Cup debut
Cathy Gannon
Cathy Gannon received her
chance to participate in Saturday's Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup only after
Hayley Turner, an Ascot favourite, dropped out through injury.
While Turner has
participated in the last seven Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cups, this will be the
first time for the Irish-born, British-based rider.
Gannon explained: "I
cannot wait. Since I have been told, I have been so excited - dreaming about it
and everything.
"It has been really
good. I am delighted to be on the girls' team. I watched the Shergar Cup last
year on the telly and thought it was amazing. I am so happy to be in it this
year.
"Hayley rang me soon
after she broke her ankle and said I should get my agent to get me on the
Shergar Cup team. She said she would put a word in for me.
"She is good friend
in the weighing room. It is a bit unfortunate for Hayley but it is the ups and
downs of racing. I have had a lot of injuries myself so I know what it is like."
There is plenty of banter
between Gannon and Turner on Twitter.
The former commented:
"We have a great buzz. It is good banter. Hayley takes the stick well - I
give her a lot of it. She is a good friend."
Gannon gained 44 winners
last year despite three separate spells of injury - broken collar-bone, jaw and
femur. There have been other injuries during her career.
"It is always
difficult to get going again but I love horses and riding them. It is a
dangerous sport.
"Things are going
good - I have one of the best agents in the country. I am riding out for Mr
Henry Candy, Jo Hughes and Andrew Balding, and getting plenty of rides."
Her biggest step was
moving to Britain after opportunities dried up in Ireland despite her being
champion apprentice in 2004. That move came in 2006.
"The hardest thing -
much worse than all my injuries - was to move from Ireland to England. I was so
homesick. I left my family and Mr Oxx, who I was with for eight years, to come
here not knowing anyone. It took me a long time to settle in."
Cathy Gannon
Born: September 21, 1981,
Donaghmede Dublin
Background: Cathy Gannon's first
experience with horses was in Dublin where she used to ride her brother's
ponies bareback. At the age of 15 she enrolled in the Irish Apprentice Jockeys'
School in County Kildare. After completing the course, she was sent to John
Oxx's stable at Curraghbeg. She started riding ponies for Oxx before being
given her first ride in 1998, finishing third at Wexford. Her first win came
aboard Quivelly at Tipperary in the same year. In 2004, she became the first
female champion apprentice jockey in Ireland, riding 33 winners. However, after
losing her claim, opportunities dried up at home and, after eight years with
Oxx, she moved to England in 2006. Since then, she has ridden over 280 winners
and amassed more than £1.5 million in prize money. Her most successful year to
date came in 2011, when she partnered 71 winners Accolades: Champion
Irish Apprentice 2004. Prolinx Lady Jockey of the Year Award at The Lesters
(2011 and 2012). Big race wins: Group Three Round Tower Stakes (2010
Dingle View), Listed Raymond Corbett Memorial City Plate (2013 Ladyship).
Dubai Duty Free Shergar
Cup debut
THE REST OF THE WORLD TEAM
Gary Stevens
Ace American rider Gary
Stevens is no stranger to Ascot, having partnered four winners at Royal Ascot,
including Blueprint for The Queen in the 1999 Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap.
The 50-year-old returned
to the saddle in January this year following a hiatus of seven years and during
his illustrious career has notched up no less than nine wins in Triple Crown
races, eight successes at the Breeders' Cup as well as a Dubai World Cup and a
Japan Cup.
He said today: "I
love Ascot, it is one of the best racecourses in the world. I first rode in
Britain in 1986 for Clive Brittain, when I came over to Europe and was based
with Andre Fabre in France. I don't think some of the jockeys I will be riding
against on Saturday were even born back then!
"I am based on the
West Coast back home but was up early in the morning watching Royal Ascot every
day this year. I was cheering as loud as anyone when Estimate won the Gold Cup
for The Queen - I made so much noise the dogs started barking! I was also
watching Glorious Goodwood at home last week and love keeping up with all the
news from the big meetings in Britain."
When asked to compare
riding in Britain and the USA, Stevens replied: "It's great racing in
Britain but the one thing I certainly don't envy jockeys over here for is the
amount of commuting they have to do. I take my hat off to them for all the
travelling they do, it involves making a lots of sacrifices.
"Although I do have
to travel at home, I tend to be based at racecourses for several weeks at a
time when they have their meetings. I have to fly coast to coast every three
months or so but it is a very different experience."
Stevens has not ridden at
Ascot since the redevelopment of the racecourse in 2005, but is keen to get
back in the action.
He continued: "From
what I can see, the stands and viewing have changed but the track itself looks
the same as I remember it. I am really looking forward to riding there again as
Ascot is such a challenging course. You have to remember to conserve stamina
when riding there - you ride five furlongs like it is seven furlongs and a mile
and a half like it is two miles. You have to keep some petrol in the tank and
people say you have to think yourself save, save, sprint."
The seven-year break
Stevens took from riding has intensified his passion for the sport and when as
to whether he still enjoys riding as much as ever he replied: "Even more
so. Absence makes the heart grow fonder as they say. I think I was in denial
during the time I wasn't riding - the passion never left me and I was burning
to be back in the saddle.
"I had a spell as
trainer when I wasn't riding and I loved it, it gives you a real feeling
of self-reward and the satisfaction it gives you is even better than riding.
"But I was never
happy with the bookkeeping aspect of being a trainer. It is very difficult
financially to be a trainer unless you have a major owner behind you. The days
of owners like Ogden Phipps having a large private stable are now largely over
and it is now mainly syndicate owners.
"I had one winner
during the time I was a trainer but five of my horses won immediately after
they left me, which gave me enormous satisfaction as I knew that I had prepared
them.
"I really respect the
role of trainers and everyone involved with the running of stables. It's very
different to being a jockey when you just turn up and ride the horses.
"It is the passion
that keeps you going in this sport."
Gary Stevens
Born: March 6, 1963, Caldwell,
Idaho
Background: Grew up around horses due
to his father Ron being a trainer and his mother being a Rodeo Queen. He became
a groom aged eight and started riding and winning on American quarter horses at
bush tracks and fairs by the time he was 14. Stephens became a full-time jockey
in 1979. He gained his first thoroughbred winner aboard Lil Star for his father
Ron at Les Bois Park in Idaho in 1979 on his first ever ride. Stevens has
ridden over 5,000 winners worldwide including four at Royal Ascot among 49
British successes. Prior to his initial retirement in December 1999, Stevens
became the youngest jockey to surpass $100 million in career earnings. Stevens
returned to the saddle in 2000 before retiring again in 2005 when he became a TV
pundit and actor, appearing in the 2003 film Seabiscuit and the HBO series
Luck. However, in early January 2013, Stevens announced he was returning to the
saddle and rode his first comeback winner on January 12 at Santa Anita aboard
the filly Branding. Stevens has amassed career earnings of over $225 million
and has ridden 4,926 winners (up to August 5) in the US. Accolades: Won
riding titles at Longacres, Santa Anita, Hollywood Summer, Del Mar, Oak Tree
and Hollywood Fall. Inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1997. Received
Eclipse Award as North America's outstanding jockey in 1998 and earned national
earnings titles in 1990 and 1998. Stephens also holds the record for most Santa
Anita Derby wins with nine successes. Triple Crown Wins (9): Kentucky Derby
(Winning Colors 1988, Thunder Gulch 1995, Silver Charm 1997), Preakness Stakes
(Silver Charm 1997, Point Given 2001, Oxbow 2013) Belmont Stakes (Thunder Gulch
1994, Victory Gallop 1998, Point Given 2001), Other big race wins:
Stevens has won eight Breeders' Cup races as well as other races such as the
Dubai World Cup (1998 Silver Charm), Japan Cup (1991 Golden Pheasant). Has had
spells riding in Britain where his biggest victories came in the Hardwicke
Stakes (1999 Predappio), Queen Anne Stakes (1999 Cape Cross), Juddmonte
International (1999 Royal Anthem). Rode Blueprint to victory for The Queen in
1999 Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap. His fourth Royal Ascot victory came on
Membership (Jersey Stakes) in 2003.
Dubai Duty Free Shergar
Cup debut
Yasunari Iwata
Japanese jockey Yasunari
Iwata is riding at Ascot for the third time, having participated in the 2010
Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup and partnered Deep Brillante to finish eighth in
the 2012 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Sponsored by Betfair).
Iwata has won a plethora
of Group One contests in his homeland including the Japan Cup three times, most
recently on Gentildonna in 2012. He also created history in 2006 when winning
the Melbourne Cup on Delta Blues - the first time Australia's greatest race had
gone to a Japanese horse and a Japanese jockey.
The 39-year-old said:
"Ascot is an incredible racecourse.
"The ground back home
in Japan tends to be very firm, which gears the racing more towards speed
whereas the ground at Ascot is geared more towards power and stamina, so I have
to adapt my riding accordingly.
"I am delighted to be
back at Ascot. It is a tough course to ride around but it is always a valuable
experience to ride overseas as you learn a lot.
"I haven't had a
chance to look at the fields for Saturday yet but hopefully I will have a good
book of rides."
Yasunari Iwata
Born: March 12, 1974, Himeji in
the Hyogo prefecture of Southern Japan.
Background: From a family that has no
involvement in horse racing. Became fascinated by the sport while working at
his parents' restaurant near Himeji Racecourse. Made his racecourse debut at
Sonoda in 1991 and soon gained a reputation as one of the up and coming jockeys
in the National Association of Racing (NAR) circuit, winning the Hyogo Triple
Crown in 1996. Topped the jockey standings in Hyogo for the first time in 2000
and went on to win the local championship in 2002 and 2004. After consistently
recording more than 200 winners a season, Iwata notched his 3,000th career
success in December, 2005. Rode in some of the major races of the Japanese
Racing Association (JRA), despite being affiliated to the rival NAR, and posted
his first Pattern success on Believe in the Grade Two Centaur Stakes at Hanshin
in September, 2002. Became the first NAR jockey to win a JRA Classic race on
October 24, 2004, on Delta Blues in the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) at
Kyoto. Joined the JRA full-time in 2006 and has been placed among the top five
jockeys every season apart from 2010, when a fall sidelined him for two months.
Shot to international prominence in November, 2006, as he linked up with Delta
Blues once more for a thrilling victory in the Melbourne Cup in Flemington -
with the pair becoming the first Japanese horse and jockey to win Australia's
greatest race. Has ridden some of Japan's outstanding horses including Vodka,
Victoire Pisa, Buena Vista and Gentildonna, who became the first three-year-old
filly to capture the Japan Cup under Iwata in November, 2012. He was the JRA's
top jockey by winners in both 2011 and 2012. Took part in theDubai Duty Free
Shergar Cup in 2010 also rode at Ascot in 2012, coming home eighth on Deep
Brillante in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Sponsored by
Betfair). Big Race Wins Include: Kikuka Sho (2004 Delta Blues), Emirates
Melbourne Cup (2006 Delta Blues), Takarazuka Kinen (2007 Admire Moon), Japan
Cup (2007 Admire Moon, 2011 Buena Vista, 2012 Gentildonna), Yasuda Kinen (2008
Vodka, 2013 Lord Kanaloa ), Shuka Sho (2008 Black Emblem, 2011 Aventura, 2012
Gentildonna), Ashai Hai Futurity Stakes (2008 Seiun Wonder), Satsuki Sho (2009
Unrivaled, 2010 Victoire Pisa), Mile Championship (2010 A Shin Forward),
February Stakes (2012 Testa Matta), Oka Sho (2012 Gentildonna), Tokyo Yushun
(2012 Deep Brillante), Sprinters Stakes (2012 Lord Kanaloa), Tokyo Daishoten
(2012 Roman Legend), Takamatsunomiya Kinen (2013 Lord Kanaloa)
Participated in 2010 Dubai
Duty Free Shergar Cup
About The Dubai Duty Free
Shergar Cup
The Dubai Duty Free
Shergar Cup is Britain's premier jockeys' competition, a unique event where top
jockeys in four teams - Great Britain & Ireland, Europe, the Rest of the
World and The Girls - battle against each other in a thrilling six-race
showdown.
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