Archers Bay (5/2) made the 3:55 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic (Class 3, 1m3f211y) look simple at Ascot on Saturday, powering three and a quarter lengths clear under Ryan Moore for trainer Marco Botti – Moore’s second winner of the afternoon and a result that landed our preview verdict on the nose.
| Pos | Horse | Jockey | SP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Archers Bay | Ryan Moore | 5/2 |
| 2nd | King Of Berkshire | Christophe Lemaire | 8/1 |
| 3rd | Baltic Fleet | Jerry Chau | 28/1 |
| 4th | Hoseki | Saffie Osborne | 13/8f |
Distances: 3¼ lengths, neck, head. 10 ran. Time: 2m 31.20s. Going: good to firm.
The Race Story
Dropped back to handicap company after some ambitious Group-race assignments, Archers Bay was given what At The Races described as a textbook ride. Moore had him beautifully positioned throughout, asked for his effort early in the straight and the response settled matters in a few strides – the widest winning margin of the Shergar Cup afternoon so far.
Behind him, Lemaire stayed on for second aboard King Of Berkshire with 28/1 chance Baltic Fleet a neck away third. The beaten favourite was the other half of the all-GB&I market battle: Hoseki, sent off at 13/8 for William Haggas and Saffie Osborne, could only keep on at one pace in fourth. The win stretched Great Britain & Ireland’s lead in the team competition to 71 points against Hong Kong’s 62 with one race to run, and put Moore, on 40 points, firmly in the hunt for the Silver Saddle.
Tipster Accountability
Our Ascot preview called this one precisely: “Archers Bay – Moore’s mount edges out the gritty Hoseki” was the verdict at 5/2, and both halves of that sentence came true. It could not rescue the site’s 36/1 Shergar treble, already sunk by Night Breeze and Thunder Call. Of the tracked tipsters in today’s tipster review, Templegate’s interest ended with his beaten NAP Night Breeze in the 2:45, so the ledgers stand unchanged.
Looking Ahead
The Shergar Cup climax is the 4:30 Mile, where the preview’s each-way value play is Fondo Blanco at 14/1 – first-time tongue-tie, proven Ascot form – against market leaders Two Tribes and course winner Popmaster, with the last six winners all drawn in stall six or lower. Hong Kong need a big finish to overhaul GB&I. Earlier Shergar Cup results, including Red Spells Danger’s win in the Sprint, are on the site now.
