‘Now is the time to move away' – Ascot drops Ladies' Team from Shergar Cup for new Asia squad
ASCOT bosses have dropped the famous Ladies' Team from the Shergar Cup - and replaced it with a squad from Asia.
Chiefs said 'now is the time to move away' from having a separate side for women.
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Trailblazing jockey Hollie Doyle said the decision was a 'nice reminder' that men and women compete on equal terms in racing.
The popular Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup is one of Ascot's biggest meetings and this year's renewal on August 9 will have £500,000 up for grabs.
Recently-retired Hayley Turner was the face of the ladies-only team, which had won four of the past six Shergar Cups.
Turner, who announced her pregnancy in her retirement statement, snatched the title in dramatic fashion last year with a short-head victory on New Image in the final race.
But it's all change for 2025, with the ladies' team axed and a new Asian contingent in its place.
Japanese jockey Ryusei Sakai will be the 'star attraction' thanks to his association with Forever Young, the world's highest-rated horse.
He will be joined by Mirai Iwata, dubbed the 'rising star' of Japan's jockey league, while Suraj Narredu from India will captain the team.
They will wear red silks, replacing the pink of the ladies.
Doyle will captain the Great Britain and Ireland squad, while there will also be teams from Europe and the Rest of the World.
Doyle, who recently became Britain's most successful female jockey, said: "The Ladies' Team over the years has had great success, but the new changes that have been made, which include integrating the male and female jockeys on the same team, is a nice reminder that we as jockeys complete on a level playing field internationally."
While Nick Smith, Director of Racing and Public Affairs at Ascot Racecourse, said: "We're pleased to have secured top talent from across the world to compete at the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup with at least eight different countries set to be represented already.
"We feel now is the time to move away from a ladies-only team, and this new evolution of the format keeps the event fresh."
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