Red-hot Currie steers Ladies to Cup success

IT WAS Ladies Day at Ascot where they captured the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup team event. Nicola Currie, 28, representing the Ladies, along with Hayley Turner and Mickaelle Michel, took the riding honours with a double enabling her to secure the “Silver Saddle” Trophy.

Now in its 21st year at Ascot, the occasion is very much when racing let its hair down. The champagne flowed on the winners’ podium, silks were swapped for colours resembling the teams and baseball caps were de rigueur.

“What a fantastic day, delighted to be part of it,” said Currie (right).

“I thought this leading jockey’s armband would be harder to keep than a driver’s licence!” There were no winners for Hayley Turner, making her 14th appearance at her favourite meeting, but the popular rider was rewarded when allowed to keep the

Shergar Cup trophy for captaining the winning team for a third time. Turner said: “Well done to Nicola. She really rode out of her skin.”

Team Ireland finished runner-up with Great Britain third and the Rest Of The World fourth. Currie was successful with Just Hubert and State Of Bliss.

Cieren Fallon, for team Great Britain, kept up the family

honour when partnering Dashing Roger to victory. “My father (Kieren) won the competition twice and also won the Silver Saddle,” he said. “So, it’s great to have a winner here.”

His best mate David Egan, riding for Ireland, also enjoyed success on Graphite.

Kevin Stott, representing the Rest Of The Word, opened proceedings with victory on Ascot course specialist Tis Marvellous, while the old man of the party, Joe Fanning, 50, took the finale astride Mitrosonfire.