Chadwick hopes to repeat Shergar Cup heroics
HONG KONG rider Matthew Chadwick will participate in his second Shergar Cup at Ascot on Saturday, after stepping in to take the place of the injured Vincent Ho.
Chadwick has the chance to follow up his previous Shergar Cup success, when winning the Silver Saddle in 2012 as part of a triumphant Rest of the World team.
Chadwick joins former Hong Kong-based Joao Moreira and Japan’s Kazuo Yokoyama in representing the Rest of The World team, who will be in competition against Great Britain & Ireland, Europe and the Ladies.
Ho, who was originally slated to captain the Rest of the World team, was forced to give up his place after sustaining an injury in a recent fall in Japan, and Chadwick said: “It’s unfortunate what happened to Vincent, and I know it can be very hard to have a fall and then get back again, but on a personal level I’m very happy to be able to step in for him and hopefully we’ll get some good results.”
Chadwick’s previous trip to Ascot could not have gone any better, with a win and three second-place finishes ensuring he won the Silver Saddle as leading rider, in the process contributing 45 points towards the Rest of The World team’s overall victory.
“It looks like they’ve assembled some world-class jockeys and some very good local riders, and it’s always a good event to be a part of,” said 33-year-old Chadwick.
“I had some nice results there in 2012 and hopefully the draw has been kind to me again.”
Chadwick enjoyed another fruitful Hong Kong season in 2022/23, with his 43 wins being good enough for seventh place in the jockey’s standings, while his earnings topped HK$68 million (approx. £6.8 million).
The Shergar Cup is contested over the course of a six-race card, with each jockey riding in five of the races.
The first five finishers are awarded points, with 15 going to the winner, followed by 10, seven, five and three points for the remaining positions.