Dubai Duty Free Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi presents the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup trophy to Great Britain & Ireland Team of Captain Saffie Osborne, Ryan Moore and Dylan Browne McMonagle. He was accompanied by Sinead El Sibai, SVP – Marketing, Salim Dahman, Senior Manager – Marketing and Alpana Cidambi.​​

With a line-up hailed ‘the best ever in the history of the event’, Dubai Duty Free (DDF) celebrated its long-standing partnership with Ascot Racecourse in style at the 2026 edition of the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup on Saturday 8 August.

Dubai Duty Free has been a partner of the event since its inception and a title sponsor since 2006.

The travel retailer’s Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi was in attendance together with Sinead El Sibai Senior Vice President – Marketing and Salim Dahman Senior Manager – Marketing, who entertained guests in Ascot Racecourse’s prestigious Panoramic Suite.

TRBusiness was delighted to be present to mark the occasion alongside high profile industry executives including Fraser Brown, Retail Director at Heathrow and Mark Riches of Braid Retail.

“Today we have enjoyed a fabulous renewal of the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup with a stellar line-up of jockeys,” said Cidambi. “Our guests drawn from multiple sectors including travel retail media, the horseracing industry and commercial partners witnessed a thrilling competition in first class surroundings and very pleasant weather.

“We congratulate the Great Britain & Ireland team on their victory and extend our thanks the all participants who embraced the competition with such great spirit and friendly rivalry.”

The latest evolution of the world’s premier international jockeys’ competition saw the introduction of Team Hong Kong taking on the best from Great Britain & Ireland, Europe and The Rest of the World.

Following a break of 20 years, Ryan Moore returned to the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup with a vengeance as he spearheaded a decisive victory for Great Britain & Ireland.

Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director, Dubai Duty Free address guests at the 2026 edition of the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup on Saturday 8 August.

Moore had been leading rider when guiding the same team to glory on his debut in the 2006 edition, and the three-time UK champion jockey again received the Silver Saddle trophy for the most successful individual rider with 47 points.

After coming home seventh in the opening Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash, Moore finished in the first three on his four subsequent rides, winning the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge on Asgard’s Captain and the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic on Archers Bay.

From L-R: George Tucker, EVP and General Manager for the UK & Europe at Crypto.com; Lady Celine Carter, Ascot Racecourse Trustee; Ramesh Cidambi, MD, DDF and his wife; Sir Francis Brooke BT, Ascot Racecourse Chairman and HM’s Representative; Mohammed Al Hakim, President & General Manager, MEA at Crypto.com; and Harry Morley, Ascot Racecourse Trustee.

Moore said: “It has been lovely. I’ve enjoyed it. It’s nice to be back here seeing jockeys like Yutaka [Take] and Christophe [Lemaire] – older jockeys who I was looking up to as a kid. Hopefully everyone has enjoyed it.”

Cheering on the contenders in the thrilling final race, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile.

Team captain Saffie Osborne was also on the scoresheet, taking the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint on Red Spells Danger, with Dylan Browne McMonagle making the frame on four of his mounts as Great Britain & Ireland ended the day on 81 points.

Osborne said: “It has been really good fun. As I said before, it’s a brilliant day to get new people involved in the sport and showcase what fun this industry is. It’s brilliant for a younger audience to be able to pick a team and follow them, and to have such world class jockeys here is brilliant.”

Competition debutants Team Hong Kong stormed into an early lead when Jerry Chau and Vincent Ho registered a 1-2 in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash before Luke Ferraris scored 35 minutes later in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers, an effort which earned him the Dubai Duty Free Ride of the Day, judged on behalf of the title sponsor by former English and Irish Derby winning jockey John Reid MBE.

Faye Bartle, Editorial Director, TRBusiness; DDF Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi; and TRBusiness Co-owners and joint CEOs Janice Hook and Nigel Hardy.

Ultimately, their challenge fell short and they ended the day on 62 points alongside Europe, who enjoyed a strong end to the card as Frida Valle Skar and Christophe Lemaire finished first and second in the closing Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile.

Jerry Chau was in contention for the leading jockey until the final race. He said of his first experience of the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup: “The day has gone better than I expected. To win the first race – which I did not expect – was great and showed me everything. A first ride and first winner at Ascot was a great experience for me.

Image Credit: Dubai Duty Free

Mohammed Al Hakim, Ramesh Cidambi, Alpana Cidambi, Sinead El Sibai, and Salim Dahman join the stellar line-up of jockeys for the 2026 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup.

The Rest of the World team, made up of Yutaka Take, Suraj Narredu and Jamie Melham, finished fourth on 39 points.

Narredu said: “It has been a great day to be part of, even though I did not ride a winner. It is an honour and a privilege to be part of the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup. There are 12 jockeys and only six races, so it happens that you can miss out, but I would love to come back again.

Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup 2026 – Final Standings

Great Britain & Ireland: 81

Team Hong Kong: 62

Europe: 62

Rest of the World:  39

 

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