The Shergar Cup meeting at Ascot this coming Saturday may not boast the star equine names of the major summer festivals, but it always adds a welcome dose of variety to the racing calendar.
One of the very few team-based meetings on the fixture list, the 2024 edition will see teams representing Great Britain & Ireland, Europe, Rest of the World, and the Ladies battle for points over a competitive six-race card of handicapping action.
Ryan Moore and Oisin Murphy head elsewhere this weekend, but many big names are set to represent the teams. The Classic-winning Seamie Heffernan, international star Tadhg O’Shea, and the up-and-coming Billy Loughnane go for Great Britain and Ireland, whilst Shergar Cup mainstay Hayley Turner captains the Ladies. However, the riders making up the Europe and Rest of the World teams may not be so familiar to UK racing fans.
Aussie-based Brit Rachel King, South African Rachel Venniker, and Nanako Fujita of Japan make up an intriguing all-female Rest of the World team (a first for the Shergar Cup) and are no doubt itching to display their talents on British soil. However, the most compelling backstory heading into the meeting is found in the European Team, as death-defying Spanish rider Jose-Luis Borrego fulfils a lifetime ambition.
The Spanish Steve Cauthen
Likened in style to the legendary Steve Cauthen and earning the nickname El Nino (the kid), Borrego kept up a family tradition when opting for a life on horseback, with his twin brother, uncle, and three cousins all successful riders.
Embarking on his career in the saddle at the tender age of just 14, Borrego blossomed to become one of Spain’s most successful riders – landing the Champion Apprentice title in 1995. From there, success flowed, with wins in 17 Spanish Group 1s.
32 years on from that debut as a teenager, Borrego has now amassed 435 career wins, including every major Spanish event. In addition to the phenomenal success in his homeland, the now 46-year-old has successfully travelled to plunder Group race prizes in France, and now has his long-held ambition of riding at Ascot – a track he views to be the pinnacle of the racing world – within touching distance. However, it hasn’t all been plain sailing. Far from it…
Madrid Miracle Man
The undoubted low point of Borrego’s stellar career came 10 years ago at La Zarzuela Racecourse in Madrid. Heading into the final furlong aboard a horse by the name of News, Borrego appeared in no imminent danger as his mount approached the line.
However, in a fine example of how unpredictable the sport can be, News inexplicably stumbled, hurtling Borrego face-first into the ground and rolling over on top of him. A devastating fall at first glance and one which threatened not only Borrego’s career but his life.
Despite the rapid response of the medical staff at the track, Borrego’s heart had stopped by the time they reached the stricken rider. That remained the case for an agonising seven minutes, as the race-day accident appeared set for a truly tragic conclusion.
Quite the story.
In 2008, jockey Jose-Luis Borrego fell in a race. His heart stopped and he was feared dead. He miraculously survived after three days in a coma.
16 years on he will live his dream of riding at Ascot this weekend.@RacingPost | @Ascot https://t.co/LhT9tt2RRt
— James Stevens (@JamesStevens180) August 8, 2024
Thankfully, the persistent on-site doctor finally restarted Borrego’s heart, before the rider was transported to a Madrid hospital. Following an anxious three days in a coma, Borrego began to show signs of recovery and, remarkably, was back on his feet and on his way home just 10 days after the horror incident. Even more incredibly, the tough-as-teak jockey was back in the saddle following a little over two months on the sidelines.
Borrego’s Shergar Cup Rides
Much water and many winners have flowed under the bridge since that fateful day in Madrid. Now into the twilight years of his career, Borrego will get to live his dream, stating in the lead-up to the Shergar Cup, “I’ve wanted to ride here for 30 years, and I’m delighted to be a part of the Shergar Cup. This crowns my career, and it’s a nice finishing touch. This is the maximum I could aspire to.”
For those looking to follow this remarkable jockey on Saturday afternoon, he is booked to ride the following runners, with the Andrew Balding-trained Dambuster his best chance of success according to the odds compilers.
- 2:10 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers – Zealandia
- 2:45 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge – Dream Harder
- 3:20 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint – Venture Capital
- 3:55 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic – Dambuster
- 4:30 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile – Tempus