SA Champion jockey Anthony Delpech made a memorable debut in the UK on Saturday when he rode a beautifully judged race to get Glenys The Menace home to win the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic for the Rest Of The World Team in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup.
Anthony Delpech – great show of ability
Delpech, who is breaking all records to get back to Scottsville today to fulfill his engagements, said he had thoroughly enjoyed the unique experience.
But the day belonged to Great Britain and Ireland Captain Jamie Spencer who rode his 2,000th British winner on the flat as his team won the Shergar Cup.
Fran Berry’s triumph aboard the Tim Easterby-trained Golden Apollo in the six-furlong sprint clinched victory.
They won with 86 points, ahead of the Rest of the World side on 67.
Jamie Spencer – 2000 winners up
Berry also won aboard Great Hall for trainer Mick Quinn, and the double secured him the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle award for top jockey.
The Shergar Cup is contested by three-strong teams from Great Britain and Ireland, the Rest of the World, Europe and an all-female team, The Girls.
Australian jockey Michelle Payne pulled out of the event earlier on Saturday because of illness. The only woman to ride a Melbourne Cup winner was replaced in The Girls team by Hollie Doyle.
Doyle was a narrow runner-up aboard Sir Robert Cheval in the opening Shergar Cup Dash, won by Spencer on the Dean Ivory-trained favourite Stake Acclaim.
The win by a neck gave Spencer the 2,000th British Flat racing success of his career and the 37-year-old said: “It’s only a figure, but it’s good to get there.”
Final team points
Great Britain and Ireland 86
Rest of the World 67
Europe 64
The Girls 23
Top jockey standings
Fran Berry (GBI) 37
Jamie Spencer (GBI) 32
Alexander Pietsch (Eur) 31
Anthony Delpech (ROW) 30
Kerrin McEvoy (ROW) 27
Adrie de Vries (Eur) 27
Neil Callan (GBI) 17
Hollie Doyle (Girls) 10
Keita Tosaki (ROW) 10
Emma-Jayne Wilson (Girls) 10
Umberto Rispoli (EUR) 6
Hayley Turner (Girls) 3
