Best Bets for Shergar Cup Day at Ascot

With Saturday afternoon still starved of top-class football - but not for much longer - horse racing once again dominates the betting scene this weekend. Topping the bill is one of the most distinctive events of the British flat season, as Ascot rolls out the red carpet for the 2026 edition of the Shergar Cup.

In a sport dominated by individual glory, this six-race fixture is one of very few team-based competitions on the calendar. This year sees teams from Great Britain & Ireland, Europe, Hong Kong, and the Rest of the World do battle over six competitive handicap contests.

Always one of Ascot’s most well-attended meetings outside of Royal Ascot, Shergar Cup day makes for an entertaining afternoon on the sofa – an experience only enhanced by backing a winner or two. Here, using data presented by NewBettingSites.uk, I take a look at how it all works, highlight a selection of excellent offers, and pick out my best bets for a Shergar Cup Lucky 15.

Best Betting Sites for the Shergar Cup

August is always one of the most exciting months of the year for UK punters. Thanks to the World Cup, we have to wait a little longer than usual for the start of the Premier League season, with this year’s big kick-off taking place on Friday 15 August. However, there is barely time to draw breath on the racing front, with the York Ebor Festival, Doncaster St Leger Festival, and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe among the highlights still to come. All in all, summertime is an appealing time to add a new betting site to your portfolio.

For those looking for a new option ahead of the Shergar Cup, the following sites all offer an excellent racing product and a rewarding sign-up offer.

• BetGoodwin - Bet £10 and Get £10 in Free Bets
• LiveScoreBet - Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets
• BetAhoy - Bet £10 and Get £10 – Code: ALLABOARD10
• Bresbet - Bet £10 and Get £10 in Free Bets
• Spreadex - Bet £10 and Get £60 in Free Bets

How Does the Shergar Cup Work?

The Shergar Cup is a team-based competition consisting of four teams of three jockeys. In 2026, the four teams are Great Britain & Ireland, Hong Kong Jockey Club, Europe, and the Rest of the World,

The teams compete over the course of six handicap races. Each race features three riders from two teams and two apiece from the remaining teams. Each of the 12 riders will have a total of five rides on the day.

Points awarded for finishing positions as shown in the graphic above. The team with the most points at the end of the meeting lifts the Shergar Cup, while the individual rider with the most points claims the Silver Saddle.

The 2026 Teams

No shortage of star names in 2026. Ryan Moore makes his first Shergar Cup appearance since 2026 for the hosts; the talented Vincent Ho captains the brand-new Hong Kong team; Christophe Lemaire is joined by two of the continent’s premier female riders for Europe, while the Rest of the World team includes 57-year-old Japanese legend, Yutaka Take.

Best Bets for the 2026 Shergar Cup

As ever, the Shergar Cup consists of six ten-runner handicaps, ranging in trip from a 5f event for the sprinters to a 2m marathon for the stayers. Having pored over the card, I have plumped for the following four challengers to make up my Shergar Cup Lucky 15.

13:35 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash

The hat-trick-seeking All Ways Glamorous seems sure to be popular in the opening contest over the minimum trip. Successful over this course and distance last time out, he looks set to go well off this 5lb higher mark. However, he benefited from getting his own way in front that day and may just prove vulnerable if taken on for the lead.

The one I fancy to get on top late in the piece is Irish raider, Kendall Roy. Hailing from the County Wexford yard of Miss Kate McGivern, this one ran a cracker off this mark of 102 last time out at Cork. Slowly away, he came with a late rattle up the far rail and only gave best in the dying strides to go down by half a length. With the Irish form often stacking up well in events such as this, a repeat of that performance may be sufficient.

• Recommended Bet - Kendall Roy @ 8/1 with BetGoodwin

15:20 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint

Take Hong Kong to strike in this 6f affair, with Jerry Chau assigned a plumb ride on the William Haggas-trained Thunder Call. This speedily bred half-brother to the talented Skardu is yet to run a bad race over 6f and looks like the sort to steadily climb the ranks. Keeping on well to claim a 22-runner handicap at York two starts back, he did best of those to come from off the pace at Newmarket last time. Left on an unchanged mark of 91, he can get back to winning ways.

• Recommended Bet - Thunder Call @ 2/1 with BetGoodwin

15:55 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic

Stick with Haggas in the Classic, with the Saxon Warrior filly Hoseki fancied to strike for Saffie Osborne and the home team. Having shown signs of promise as a juvenile, the Simon Munir & Isaac Souede-owned runner has improved significantly since stepping up in trip this season. Kicking off with back-to-back wins over 1m2f at Redcar and Chester, she got up late to score over this course and distance last time. She’s up 5lb here but appeared to win despite the slow pace that day and can continue her progress in a more truly run race.

• Recommended Bet - Hoseki @13/8 with BetGoodwin

16:30 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile

William Haggas has another solid chance in the finale with the Christophe-Patrice Lemaire-ridden Bullet Point. He is fancied to be involved in the first-time cheekpieces, but I just prefer the claims of Ozat, who represents the Ian Williams/Ryan Moore combo for the home team. Rated as high as 106 in August 2025, he is down to 97 for this assignment. A big eyecatcher when repeatedly stopped in his run at Goodwood last time, he enjoyed no luck that day but can gain compensation under the best in the business.

• Recommended Bet - Ozat @ 10/3 with BetGoodwin

A 50p each-way Lucky 15 on my four selections at the recommended prices returns £418.60 with BetGoodwin if all four win, and £32.44 if all four only place.