Gary Stevens won the final
race on Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup day when Annunciation, trained by Richard
Hannon, won this sprint for three-year-olds.
Stevens, whose mount
produced a late thrust that narrowly deprived fellow American Rosie Napravnik
on Noble Deed, took his personal tally to 18pts, although his team, the Rest of
the World, could finish only third in the competition with 46 points - the
winning Europe team amassed 97 points.
Stevens, for whom this was
a 50th winner in Britain, said: "That was fun, and the only
ride I've had today that played out right. The trainer wanted to try something
new today and to drop him out, because he felt that was the only way he would
get the trip. The partnership [owners Middleham Park Racing] didn't think much
of those instructions, but they are happy now.
"I'm proud of Rosie,
on her first trip to Britain. She has done us proud. I know a lot of people
have been impressed with her performance, including this camp that I just rode
for.
"It's been a long
time since I was here - about ten years ago - and there is a new grandstand and
winner's enclosure, but the course is the same and you never get tired of
winning. If someone would have told me a year ago that I would be standing here
as a jockey and not a presenter, I would have said 'you're wrong'.
"Before this race I
was feeling bad at not having shown a little better, but nothing was going
right. A couple of horses gave me a good feel but didn't get the run of the
race.
"Everything this camp
[Hannon's stable] has been doing this year has been win, after win, after win,
and I've enjoyed watching them and Hughesie on television. I just pretended I
was Richard Hughes out there.
"The track rode well,
the weather was lovely and I've had a helluva day."
For Middleham Park
syndicate members a winner ridden by the legend that is Gary Stevens was one to
treasure. One member, James Pak, said: "That was brilliant, and I'm so
glad he came over from America to ride for us. He's one of the legends and it
was a privilege to see him in our colours. He did a fine job. The idea was to
ride him like that and Gary did it to perfection."
EUROPE
CLEAR OF RIVALS IN DUBAI DUTY FREE SHERGAR CUP
Gerald Mosse, 46, had a
dream day. Returning to action after a shoulder injury incurred last month at
Happy Valley Hong Kong, he captained the Europe team to a decisive victory in
the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot, took the Silver Saddle for being
leading rider of the competition and also received the ride of the day accolade
for his success on Royal Skies in the fourth race, the Keltbray Shergar Cup
Classic.
The team scores were EUR
97, GBI 61, ROW 46 & GIRLS 40
Mosse, who amassed 46
points - 12 ahead of his nearest rival, said: "We are always happy to be
here and to compete.
"It's already good to
get the chance to win a race and I think it's ideal to win the Silver Saddle.
We are here to make a nice show and to show to the public that we like to
compete and we have good horses and the best track. Everybody has enjoyed it
from the beginning to the end and even the weather was beautiful. I am more
than happy to be here.
"Royal Skies is a
lovely horse to ride. The trainer told me to make him happy, to go out and
relax him. When I dropped him in at the front, I said that we weren't going to
go too fast and I am going to give him the maximum chance. Gradually, he picked
up all the way to the winning post. It was a lovely attitude from him to do it
like that.
"I have won before
(in 2008) - this is the advantage of being mature, I have been here many times.
"I am not greedy and
I am just enjoying riding and competing."
At the presentation to the
winning team of Mosse, Ioritz Mendizabal and Andrasch Starke, there was plenty
of champagne sprayed around in celebration.
CROWD
FIGURE
Today's crowd came to
28,867.
The attendance figure in
2012 was 30,062.
NAPRAVNIK
HEADED IN THE LAST
Pipped at the post, Rosie
Napravnik just failed to register a winner when the short-head second in the
final event of the 2013 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, the Dubai Duty Free
Shergar Cup Sprint, on board the 3/1 favourite Noble Deed. "It is going to
be a lot longer trip home" said Napravnik as she came back to weigh in.
Napravnik had the
consolation of being the leading female rider on points (15) with Girls
team-mates Cathy Gannon on 13 and Lisa Allpress on 12, which left them trailing
in fourth by six points to Rest of the World (46), GBI (61) and winners Europe
on 97 points.
Napravnik reflected on her
experience at the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, saying: "It was great fun
and very competitive. It was great to ride with some of the best riders in the
world. I would love to come back - but I want to win next time!"
Ioritz Mendizabal, who
came home in third on Barracuda Boy to register seven points for team winners
Europe and second place in the jockey standings, said: "I liked this horse
and thought I had the possibility of a win on him - maybe next time it would be
better if there was a bit more cover for four or five hundred metres - it was a
good race.
"I enjoyed the Dubai
Duty Free Shergar Cup - it is very important for me as a jockey to have a
winner at Ascot (Mendazibal won the Pagegroup Shergar Cup Challenge on Star
Lahib). It is one of the most famous courses in the world."
3.50pm Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint
£30,000 total prize fund. For 3yo, rated 81-100 (also
open to such horses rated 80 and below), 6f. Weights: highest weight 10st;
minimum weight 8st 9lb. Penalties: after August 3rd, each race won 3lb. Penalty
value 1st £14,754.00 2nd £5,166.00 3rd £2,361.00 4th £1,842.00 5th £1,623.00
6th £1,182.00
1) ANNUNCIATION (Middleham Park Racing XXXIX & James
Pak) Richard Hannon 3-9-13 Gary Stevens ROW 8/1
2) NOBLE DEED (Cheveley Park Stud) William Haggas
3-9-05 Rosie Napravnik GIRLS 3/1 Fav
3) BARRACUDA BOY (Laurence Bellman) Tom Dascombe
3-9-09 Ioritz Mendizabal EUR 9/2
4) CHILWORTH ICON (7Rus) Mick Channon 3-9-12 Cathy
Gannon GIRLS
5) HEAVY METAL (Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum)
Mark Johnston 3-9-05 Joao Moreira ROW
6) STORM MOON (Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum)
Mark Johnston 3-9-05 Yasunari Iwata ROW
7) SHAHDAROBA (The Links Partnership) Rod Millman
3-9-11 Kieren Fallon GBI
8) TASSEL (Highclere Thoroughbred Racing - Herbert
Jones) Richard Hannon 3-9-05 Andrasch Starke EUR
9) JADANNA (The Cool Silk Partnership) James Given
3-9-05 James Doyle GBI
10) VINCENTTI (Robert & Nina Bailey) Ronald Harris
3-9-06 Kevin Manning GBI
EUROPE WIN THE 2013 DUBAI DUTY FREE SHERGAR CUP.
GERALD MOSSE WINS THE SILVER SADDLE AND RIDE OF THE DAY.
10
ran
Time: 1m
14.55s
Distances: sh, ¾, sh, nk, 4½, 2½, ¾, 3¼, 3¼
Tote Win
£9.00
Place £2.80 £1.80 £1.80 Exacta £34.20
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 in
2013 (1 win). 50th winner in Britain.
TEAM POINTS - FINAL STANDINGS:
EUR - 97
GBI - 61
ROW - 46
GIRLS - 40
SILVER SADDLE - FINAL STANDINGS:
Gerald Mosse (EUR) - 46
Ioritz Mendizabal (EUR) - 34
James Doyle (GBI) - 31
Kieren Fallon (GBI) - 30
Joao Moreira (ROW) - 28
Gary Stevens (ROW) - 18
Andrasch Starke (EUR) - 17
Rosie Napravnik (GIRLS) - 15
Cathy Gannon (GIRLS) - 13
Lisa Allpress (GIRLS) - 12
Yasunari Iwata (ROW) -
Kevin Manning (GBI) -
No comments:
Post a Comment