Rest ready to defend

The Rest of the World team after winning last year's edition of the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup.

ASCOT // Tomorrow afternoon Ascot hosts its unique international team tournament, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, which was announced in spectacular fashion at the Berkshire track yesterday. The world's two winning-most jockeys, the Brazilian legend Jorge Ricardo and the American Russell Baze, were both on hand in preparation to team up with their captain, Japan's Yutaka Take, to defend the title that the Rest of the World team won last year.

The competition structure features 12 riders split into four teams, Great Britain, Ireland, Europe and the Rest Of the World. Each jockey gains points for finishing in the first five, and the team with the highest total after the six races is declared the winner. The fields are restricted to a maximum of 10 runners. Ricardo and Baze are the only jockeys in the world to have surpassed the milestone of 10,000 winners, which averages out to almost a victory a day for 28 years. It sounds a tough regime, but it is not something that seems to have overly bothered either rider.

"It takes a lot of hard work," reflected Baze, who celebrated his 50th birthday yesterday. "To get up in the morning, get on horses, keep in touch with trainers, it takes a hell of a lot of endurance and dedication, but it's not really that hard for me to stay enthused about my job, I love doing it." Ricardo, who boasts a current world record for race victories of 10,299, was similarly enthusiastic: "For me, every victory is different, it brings a different feeling. The turf is my home."

The Brazilian, fresh from a five-timer at Palermo in Sicily on Sunday, was in an ebullient mood and could scent continued success: "It was a pleasant surprise to be invited to an event of such magnitude," he continued through his translator. "My hope is that we will be victorious." Yesterday's press conference was the first time that the pair had met, a fact not lost on the team manager James Willoughby, the Racing Post's chief correspondent.

"This is surely every racing fan's dream. It certainly is mine, and it is an honour to be in charge of the world's greatest riders. We are all very fortunate," he said. @Email:[e-mail]