Who was Shergar?
Shergar was a legendary racehorse, best remembered for his stunning 10-length victory in the 1981 Epsom Derby—still the widest winning margin in the race’s history. Trained by Sir Michael Stoute and owned by the Aga Khan, Shergar quickly became a household name, winning five of his six races as a three-year-old with effortless style.
But his fame took a dark turn in 1983 when, shortly after retiring to stud, Shergar was kidnapped from Ballymany Stud in Ireland by armed men—a crime widely believed to be connected to the IRA. Despite extensive investigations and international headlines, Shergar was never found, and the case remains one of the most infamous mysteries in sporting history.
The Shergar Cup was launched in 1999 to honour his legacy—not just as a champion on the track, but as a symbol of racing’s rich, and sometimes tragic, history.
Embed from Getty ImagesHow does the Shergar Cup work?
The Shergar Cup is a unique team-based competition held annually at Ascot Racecourse. In 2025, it will be held on the 9th of August with the first race going off at 1:35. Unlike traditional individual races, it brings together jockeys from different countries and backgrounds, fostering international camaraderie and sportsmanship.
Four teams compete to win the cup. The Great Britain and Ireland, Europe, Rest of the World, and Asia teams will battle across six handicap races. Each team has three jockeys. Unlike in previous years, the Women’s team will not compete this year, making way for Team Asia. This signifies the lessening gender divide within the sport, despite more work to be done.
For each race, points will be allocated to each team based on finishing position.
1st Place- 15 points
2nd Place- 10 points
3rd Place- 7 points
4th Place- 5 points
5th Place- 3 points
6th Place- 1 point
7th and below- 0 points
Each team will accumulate points, and at the end of the day, the winning team is crowned as the winner of the Shergar Cup.
As well as the team prize, the jockey with the most points throughout the day will receive The Silver Saddle.
Embed from Getty ImagesHow horses are selected
Horses for the Shergar Cup are chosen through a collaborative and strategic process designed to ensure a competitive, exciting, and balanced racing event. The organisers work closely with trainers and owners, inviting entries from horses that meet specific criteria suited to the race conditions, such as distance, track surface, and class level. Since the Shergar Cup features a unique team competition format—with jockeys representing different regions or countries—organisers aim to select horses that can provide a fair challenge across all teams.
Trainers typically nominate horses that are in good current form and have demonstrated the ability to compete successfully at the race distance and level of competition expected. The selection also considers the horses’ suitability for the specific racecourse and track conditions on the day, such as turf firmness or weather factors. Organisers strive for diversity by including horses from various stables and countries, reflecting the international spirit of the event.
Unlike in usual races, horses will run in team colours. This resembles the Racing League where the jockey wears the silks of the team rather than the owner.
Shergar Cup 2025 – Teams & Jockeys
| Team | Captain | Jockey 1 | Jockey 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | Per-Anders Gråberg (SWE) | Dario Di Tocco (ITA) | Delphine Santiago (FRA) |
| Asia | Suraj Narredu (IND) | Ryusei Sakai (JPN) | Mirai Iwata (JPN) |
| Rest of the World | Karis Teetan (MRI) | Hugh Bowman (AUS) | Katie Davis (USA) |
| GB & Ireland | Hollie Doyle (GBR) | Robbie Dolan (IRE) | Joanna Mason (GBR) |
Shergar Cup Past Winners
| Year | Team Winner | Silver Saddle Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Ladies | Hayley Turner (Ladies) |
| 2023 | Ladies | Hollie Doyle (Ladies) |
| 2022 | Great Britain & Ireland | Neil Callan (GB & IRE) |
| 2021 | Ladies | Nicola Currie (Ladies) |
| 2019 | Rest of the World | Hayley Turner (Ladies) |
| 2018 | Ladies | Hayley Turner (Ladies) |
| 2017 | Great Britain & Ireland | Fran Berry (GB & IRE) |
| 2016 | Rest of the World | Thierry Jarnet (Europe) |
| 2015 | Ladies | Sammy Jo Bell (Ladies) |
| 2014 | Europe | Olivier Peslier (Europe) |