Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
IT’S NOW OR NEVER
On-song Graceland ready to rock in Shergar Cup Stayers
GRACELAND and Japanese champion jockey Keita Tosaki can shake up their rivals in the Shergar Cup Stayers (1.40) at Ascot.
Successful on her only visit to the royal racecourse – she won over course and distance in May – Michael Bell’s five-year-old has run with plenty of credit since, including when a neck second to London Prize at Newcastle at last month.
Give underfoot should be no problem – Graceland went down by a nose at Goodwood on rain-softened ground last October – and my selection is unexposed at the two-mile trip.
Tosaki’s Rest Of The World team-mate Kerrin Mcevoy has a good chance of landing the Shergar Cup Classic (3.25) aboard
Andrew Balding has saddled the chestnut to victories at Leicester, Chester and Newmarket this spring, and Contango, who should thrive for a first try at a mile and a half, is taken to remain unbeaten.
The Kevin Ryantrained partnered by another Rest Of The World rider Anthony Delpech, holds the aces in the concluding Shergar Cup Sprint (4.00).
Emma-jayne Wilson, who skippers The Girls, has become a regular at the Shergar Cup and can strike aboard in the Shergar Cup Challenge (2.15).
The five-year-old was having his second start for Neil Mulholland when second over course and distance a fortnight ago and his ability to handle today’s conditions is a definite plus.
finished second to star sprinter Battaash at Sandown last time out, so there is much to like about the chance of the Fran Berry-ridden veteran in the opening Shergar Cup Dash (1.05).
Europe’s Umberto Rispoli is fancied to score aboard last-timeout Chester winner in the Shergar Cup Mile (2.50).
Having got her career off to the perfect start at Newbury last month, makes plenty of appeal in Newmarket’s Sweet Solera Stakes (3.40), while
looks sure to give a good account in the Betfred Haydock Park Ladies’ Trophy (1.55).