A month after Dubai Duty Free sponsored their most valuable race in their home country, the US$5,000,000 Dubai Duty Free (Grade 1) at Nad Al Sheba on 25th March, and on the eve of one of their long-standing British racing sponsorships at Newbury, it is announced today that the company will be taking on their biggest ever horseracing sponsorship in Europe. Dubai Duty Free are the new sponsors of the Shergar Cup, the world's premier international jockeys competition, which will take place at Ascot on Saturday 12th August 2006 after a year's break in 2005 due to Ascot's redevelopment.

Dubai Duty Free, who have signed a three year contract, have been associated with the competition since its inauguration at Goodwood in 1999, sponsoring the Rest of the World Team and one of the six races. They continued this involvement when Ascot adopted the event in 2000 and will now take over title sponsorship.

Commenting on this latest development, Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free said: “Our association with this unique event goes back to 1999 and during that time, the profile of the race day has grown significantly. This year, with the re-opening of Ascot, we felt that it was the right time to take on a bigger role and we are delighted to be the title sponsors of the Shergar Cup.”

Two of the stars already confirmed for the 2006 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup are the crack Australian rider, Glen Boss, record-breaking winner of the last three Melbourne Cups on Makybe Diva, who will be making his debut in the competition, and South African Doug Whyte. The latter has dominated racing in Hong Kong for the last five seasons when crowned champion every year and will be taking part in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup for the third time, having previously ridden in the event in 2002 and 2003.

This year will see the sixth running of the Great Britain & Ireland vs Rest of the World jockeys' competition at Ascot after a year's break in 2005 when the Royal Racecourse was being redeveloped. The format will remain unchanged, with six jockeys representing each team and having rides in five of the six races. Points for the 10 runner races are awarded on a 15, 10, 7, 5, 3 basis to the first five horses to finish, with the team that accumulates the most points lifting the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at the end of the afternoon. As in previous years of this event at Ascot, there will be a concert by a high profile band after the last race.

"We are thrilled that Dubai Duty Free have taken on the title sponsorship of this very popular day in Ascot's racing calendar," commented Ascot's Chief Executive, Douglas Erskine-Crum.

"They have been involved with the event since its inception and will be working with us between now and August to bring it back with a bang after its year's absence. This is the day when some of the world's greatest jockeys take centre stage and its popularity has grown year on year, helping to bring new racegoers into the sport. We would like to thank Blue Square for their five year support of the competition, during which time it has really established itself as one of the summer highlights of the calendar."

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