
Fourth Race - Carvill Shergar Cup Stayers
Dorothys Friend Comes From Behind To Score For GBI
The Great Britain and Ireland Team look virtually certain of victory in the
2006 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers after Seb Sanders steered 5/2 favourite Dorothys Friend from the back of the field to eventually register a four-length success. Sanders believed he had to work hard on him but when he turned for home he was pretty confident we would get there, said Sanders.
Trainer Roger feels there have been legitimate excuses for his recent runs. The Newcastle race came a bit soon, he was not suited by the all-weather at Lingfield and then he got a bit too far back at Goodwood the other day. He is in the Ebor but I think the distance there is a bit too short for him and at this stage he would be a doubtful runner. He was worried about the ground when I saw the earlier races today as he must have it pretty fast. I was seriously thinking of not running him but Seb said the ground should be OK.
The Great Britain and Ireland team is close to winning the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup after they had the first four home in the Carvill Shergar Cup Stayers, earning them 37 points, while the Rest of the World only accrued seven points. The overall score is now 116 to 53 in favour of GBI, whose team manager Jason Weaver thought the boys are riding like the wind and I said during that race Come on Seb [Sanders] and it was one of those moments and he did not let us down. The ROW have backed away and are running scared.
The Injured Jockeys Fund has certainly benefitted as a result of Weavers efforts today. He earnt them £700 courtesy of official bookmaker Ladbrokes for losing a stone in weight before his Ladbrokes Shergar Cup Duel.
Then, he received a £200 free bet for winning the duel and placed it on Dorothys Friend, who justified 5/2 favouritism under Sanders, earning this worthwhile charity a further £700.
Nick Smith, Head of Public Relations at Ascot, thinks that the ROW team could still pull off a miracle. However with the ROW having a good chance of a clean sweep in the fifth race with Emma-Jayne Wilson having her best ride on Isidore Bonheur and Young Mick having an outstanding chance.
It is still mathematically possible for them to win and we will know after the next race if the competition is still going. What would be great would be for one of the ladies to win a race.
Michael Roberts, Team Manager for the Rest of the World, was left wondering what might have been after a disappointing effort from the team in the Carvill Shergar Cup Stayers.
The winner was always travelling well. Doug Whyte might have a bit of a chance when he came there on Wise Owl as he was in a great position but the winner was always going too well for any of the Rest of the World Horses.

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