Currie is the Queen of Ascot

SCOTTISH jockey Nicola Currie enjoyed a day to remember at Ascot as she claimed the individual win as the Ladies team were victorious in the Shergar Cup yesterday.

Currie’s two winners on the card were a major contribution to the Ladies team’s table-topping tally of 69 points.

She said: ‘What a team. In the end they were straightforward rides and straightforward winners. It’s been a fantastic day, and thanks to all the owners and trainers who have helped today.

‘All the publicity is great — it’s hard work being a jockey, and any publicity is good publicity.

‘It’s great to have two winners on the board. It’s fantastic and it’s just been a great day.’

Team Ireland were second best in the overall competition on 66 points, with Britain third on 64 and Rest of the World last of the four on 53.

Currie won on 11-1 chance Just Hubert, trained by William Muir and Chris Grassic, in the Stayers’ Handicap and sealed the individual jockeys’ title on Mark Johnstontrained State Of Bliss (9-2).

Also in the Ladies team was the competition’s all-time leading point scorer in Hayley Turner and French rider Mickaelle Michel.

While riding honours went emphatically to Currie, whose double on the card helped her claim the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle award, Shergar Cup organisers confirmed Turner can keep the team silverware — having racked up 304 Shergar Cup points.

Another trophy will be produced for 2022.

Turner said: ‘I think I’m going to need a bigger house to put it in! I’m absolutely delighted.

‘Well done to Nicola — she has ridden out of her skin today. The Shergar Cup has helped me over the years by projecting my career and hopefully it will be the same for Nicola, because she deserves more quality rides than she is getting.

‘Nicola is amazing, and it’s so good for her — I’m delighted. I love the Shergar Cup, it is so much fun.’

While she did not manage to get among the winners, Michel was delighted to take part, saying: ‘I’ve loved riding today.

‘I was close on a second, and it would have been lovely to win a race, but riding at Ascot has been brilliant.’

Elsewhere, trainer Andrew Balding is considering a potential tilt at the Qipco Champion Stakes with Foxes Tales following the three-year-old’s gritty victory in an attritional renewal of the MansionBet Rose of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock.

With likely market leader Real World one of three non-runners because of the rain-softened ground, Foxes Tales was the 5-4 favourite in the hands of Silvestre de Sousa and beat Majestic Dawn by three quarters of a length.

‘He showed his class today, and I think he was well on top at the end. Although he was the first one off the bridle, he really found for pressure — which was great. His options are going to be a little bit tight moving forward. But he’s in the Champion Stakes at the end of the year, which is a possibility after showing he can handle that kind of ground today.

‘That would be another big step up in class, so we’ll find something between now and then — hopefully a Group Two race somewhere.’

Foxes Tales was the second part of a high-profile Haydock double for King Power Racing and De Sousa as Fantastic Fox won as 6-4 favourite.

Trained by Roger Varian, Fantastic Fox came from last to first in smooth fashion to beat Bakersboy be two-and-a-half lengths.

Varian also landed the Dick Hern Stakes with even-money favourite Waliyak by just over three lengths.