How to make the Shergar Cup pay: the jockeys, trainers and horses to follow at Ascot

The midsummer novelty team events are in full swing with Thursday’s second round of Racing League fixtures at Chepstow preceding the more-established Shergar Cup.

The nature of the Shergar Cup means it should be treated as a separate entity to a normal meeting at Ascot. Aside from the obvious ditching of an owner’s regular silks, team tactics and dynamics can come into play and a third of the elite riders involved this year lack experience of this unique course.

International stars such as Joao Moreira, Kazuo Yokoyama and Matthew Chadwick might have achieved notable success around the globe, but the three have ridden at Ascot just 17 times between them. Moreira (12 rides) and Chadwick (5) make up the entirety of those, while Japanese ace Yokoyama touches down in Berkshire for the first time.