Intro: racing's unique team day
The Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup is an international team horseracing competition held each year at Ascot Racecourse in August. It features top jockeys from around the world competing in a six-race format. The racing is followed by a post-race concert and the event often attracts around 30,000 attendees.
What the Shergar Cup is
The Shergar Cup differs from a regular race meeting as it is a unique team tournament with a special scoring system, combined with festival-style entertainment afterwards. The event was inaugurated at Goodwood in 1999 and has been held at Ascot since 2000. The 25th Shergar Cup will take place in 2026 under the World Pool banner for the first time.
How the team format and scoring work
Four teams of three jockeys compete in the Shergar Cup. Riders wear their team’s silks (rather than owners’ silks) across the six races, with points awarded to the first five horses to pass the winning post: 15 points for first place, 10 for second, seven for third, five for fourth and three for fifth. The team with the most points at the end of the competition wins, while the Silver Saddle is awarded to the jockey who accumulates the most points.
The teams and jockeys
In 2026, a Hong Kong team will compete in the Shergar Cup for the very first time in the battle for international glory, joining Great Britain & Ireland, Europe and the Rest of the World. The Hong Kong team will be captained by Vincent Ho, who is best known for his association with Golden Sixty. Ho helped the Rest of the World team to victory in the 2019 Shergar Cup when he rode his first Ascot winner in the Shergar Cup Mile, and he will be joined by rising stars Jerry Chau and Luke Ferraris.
Legendary rider Christophe Lemaire will be joined by returning rider Marie Velon and rising star Frida Valle Skar for Europe. Jamie Melham (née Kah) will return as captain of the Rest of the World team and will be joined by Suraj Narredu, who captained the Asia team to victory on his competition debut in 2025. Saffie Osborne will captain Great Britain & Ireland and will compete alongside arguably the world's best rider, Ryan Moore, and Ireland's champion jockey, Dylan Browne McMonagle. Want to know more about each rider? Check out Tim Carroll's detailed profiles.
Where the name comes from: Shergar the horse
The Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup is named in honour of Shergar, one of the greatest middle-distance horses in modern racing history. He was trained by Michael Stoute, ridden by Walter Swinburn and owned by Aga Khan IV.
In 1981, Shergar won the Derby at Epsom by a record ten lengths, as well as the Irish Derby at the Curragh and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. Shergar was kidnapped while standing at stud in Ireland in 1983 and was never found. For more information on Shergar, read Rory Delargy’s detailed profile here.
How to watch and follow
You can watch every race from Ascot on Shergar Cup Day, Saturday 8 August, live on Sky Sports Racing. The opening race is scheduled for 1.35pm BST. Viewers can watch Ascot on Sky channel 415 and Virgin channel 512.
At The Races has a dedicated microsite for the Shergar Cup, featuring top tips from our team of experts, stats guides, horses to follow, jockey profiles, racecards and odds, as well as all the latest news and race replays from Ascot.
Frequently Asked Questions - Shergar Cup
What is the Shergar Cup?
The Shergar Cup is an annual team horseracing event held at Ascot Racecourse in the United Kingdom. It is a unique meeting where jockeys compete in teams rather than riding solely for individual owners or trainers.
How does the Shergar Cup work?
The Shergar Cup works like a team competition within a horseracing meeting. Instead of jockeys riding for individual owners and trying to win separate races, they compete for points for their team throughout the day. The team with the most points at the end of the six races wins the competition.
When is the Shergar Cup 2026?
The 2026 Shergar Cup takes place on Saturday 8 August, with the first race due off at 1.35pm. A full racecard is scheduled at Ascot Racecourse.
Where does the Shergar Cup take place?
The Shergar Cup takes place at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire, one of the most famous racecourses in Britain. The full address is Ascot Racecourse, High Street, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7JX.
What TV channel is the Shergar Cup on?
Every race will be shown live on Sky Sports Racing. Viewers can watch Ascot on Sky channel 415 and Virgin channel 512.
Who is in the Shergar Cup teams?
For the 2026 Shergar Cup, the teams and jockeys announced are:
Europe: Christophe Lemaire (captain), Marie Velon and Frida Valle Skar
Hong Kong: Vincent Ho (captain), Jerry Chau and Luke Ferraris
Rest of the World: Jamie Melham (captain), Yutaka Take and Suraj Narredu
Great Britain & Ireland: Saffie Osborne (captain), Ryan Moore and Dylan Browne McMonagle.
Why is it called the Shergar Cup?
It is called the Shergar Cup because it is named in honour of Shergar, one of the most famous racehorses in British and Irish racing history, who won the 1981 Derby at Epsom by a record ten lengths.
What is the Shergar Cup dress code?
The Shergar Cup dress code depends on the enclosure you are attending, with different rules applying to different areas. Racegoers should check the official Ascot dress code for their specific enclosure before travelling to Ascot.