Shergar Cup Challenge Tips & Betting Preview

Dropping back in trip to a mile and a half next and a race that Mark Johnston has won twice in the last six years, but not since 2013 with Lahib and he won’t be adding to that tally as none of his early entries make it in to the race. James Tate is yet to take this particular race but has a great chance in 2016 with Ruwasi (7/2) who is on for a hat trick this afternoon with Ascot specialist Frankie Dettori in the saddle. After taking a Class Four handicap at Doncaster over a mile and a half he was put up five pounds but shrugged that off in a Class Three at Newmarket with a very easy three and a half length win from Regal Monarch and with what looks a very generous five pound rise from the handicapper, he is the one we want to be on here.

South African superstar Gavin Lerena will be on board Baadi (9/1) and the first time visor looks intriguing to put it politely. After winning his maiden at Windsor over a mile and a quarter he stepped up in trip to see off Zambeasy at the same track over eleven and a half furlongs before finishing a well beaten fourth to Desert Encounter over the same course and distance, weakening inside the final furlong and eventually beaten eight lengths. It did look as if he didn’t get home on a truly run race that day and the visor will need to bring about plenty of improvement today if he wants to get involved.

As the only course and distance winner in the field Duretto (6/1) deserves a mention as the four year old son of Manduro looks to keep his 100% track record after two wins in a row in the summer of 2015. He hasn’t won a race since in four attempts this season and was trounced at Haydock last time out but with his record around here he is well worth including in any forecasts or the like.

As we were writing this race preview we did originally think that Ralph Beckett’s Great Glen (6/1) looked badly treated but further investigation suggests that is not the case and with improvement likely for his first run in over a year he could in fact be well weighted with even nominal improvement. That was admittedly only a Lingfield maiden but he did beat the 77 rated Beauty Sleep by three lengths giving her sixteen pounds which equates to 96 or so on our maths. To prove that was no fluke the 80 rated Mahfooz was beaten seven and a half lengths receiving eleven pounds which makes the performance even better and he is one to seriously consider in the hope he doesn’t bounce after a good return from a long absence.

With the Sir Michael Stoute string fit and firing when it really matters a market watch on Darshini (7/1) seems a sensible mover as the four-year-old son of Derby winner Sir Percy looks to improve for another try at a mile and a half. His only previous attempt was when fifth to Simple Verse at Salisbury in a Class Three handicap but as the winner went on to take the St Leger and the Champion Mares and Fillies, both Group Ones, there was no shame in that effort with hindsight. He did win a Class Three handicap at Chelmsford over ten furlongs on his return in April but hasn’t won in four races since, though he was a second to Banksea at Pontefract and a third to Majeed running on at Yarmouth in his last two runs and could be ready to try twelve furlongs again.