First Race - Sodexho Prestige Shergar Cup Distaff (12/08/06)

Missile Aims For Black Type

Ryan Moore helped Great Britain and Ireland cement an early 25-20 lead in the 2006 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup when bringing 4/1 chance Dark Missile home to an easy success in the Sodexho Prestige Shergar Cup Distaff for trainer Andrew Balding.

Jeff Smith, who owns and bred the filly, hopes she can pick up some black type before the end of the year.

 He felt she just did not like Goodwood last time at all, she just could not act at all, but she had every chance today on her form at Newmarket before that. He feels the track can make all the difference and Dark Missile really hated Goodwood. He was bery pleased with her win today and they will put her forward fora Listed race at some stage this season, where is yet to be decided.

 Frankie Dettori, team captain of the Rest Of The World, just missed out in the opening Sodexho Prestige Shergar Cup Distaff, finishing a length and a half runner-up on Lady Livius behind Dark Missile, but the popular Italian still earned his team a valuable 10 points. He never thought that he was going to win - when he looked across, he saw Ryan [Moore, winning rider] always going a little bit better. Its good ground.

 Michael Roberts, referring to his earlier second in the Ladbrokes Shergar Cup Duel, believed it wasnt one of his best races but he enjoyed it and Jason [Weaver] was sitting behind him with a double handful and when he came past and it was game over.

Australian Glen Boss and Canadian Emma-Jayne Wilson both enjoyed good experiences on their first rides at Ascot in the Sodehexo Prestige Shergar Cup Distaff, with Boss earning seven points for finishing third on Sling Back and Wilson collecting three points for finishing fifth on Secret Night. Boss was very excited and thought it was brilliant. The filly gave him a great first ride at Ascot and was very easy to ride. The ground was beautiful and it was good to get a few points for the team.

Emma-Jayne Wilson commented that it was a really good first experience of Ascot and she was pleased to score some points for the Rest of the World team. Hopefully, fifth will be my lowest placing of the day. She hoped that she would get a bit closer later in the day!

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