Luke Ferraris was Dancing In Paris for Hong Kong.
Luke Ferraris riding Dancing In Paris at the Shergar Cup held at Ascot racecourse in England. Picture: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images
The Shergar Cup has been slipping in recent years.
The world’s most famous international jockeys’ challenge was being criticised for the declining quality of invited riders and for falling attendances at Ascot racecourse – from 30,000-plus pre-Covid to 18,000 last year.
But things changed with this past weekend’s edition – and a scion of South African racing had quite a lot to do with the upswing.
Luke Ferraris, grandson of the late Ormond, son of David and a product of Summerveld’s SA Jockey Academy, performed brilliantly in winning the two-mile Stayers Handicap, in the process collecting the coveted Ride of the Day award.
Remarkably, the race was Ferraris’s first outing at Ascot. Perhaps even more surprisingly, it was his first competitive race over a marathon distance.
“I do not think I have ridden in one of those (staying) races in my seven years, so it was a bit of a change. But I could not have done it in a better spot. It has always been a dream to ride at Ascot; for the first one to be a winner has started the record off well,” said Ferraris in the hallowed winners’ circle.
‘It is really special’
For the historical record, Ferraris rode Rainbow Bridge to victory in the June 2021 Gold Challenge (Grade 1, 1600m) at Greyville on the eve of his departure for Hong Kong – but never tackled the prestigious 3200m Gold Cup at the Durban venue.
The 24-year-old did not look out of place for a single yard of the 3195m of Saturday’s Stayers, sitting in his countrymen’s favoured “box seat” for most of the journey aboard 17-2 shot Dancing In Paris, tracking 11-10 favourite Shrimp Shady and Ryan Moore, the world’s No 1 jockey.
“Dancing In Paris was in great order, so well done to the trainer and connections because he did not leave me alone from the time I left the barriers. I was a bit worried that was going to catch him out that last bit, but he got a great tow up the hill and, when he got inside the final furlong, he still had gears there.
“It really is fantastic … really special to have my family here and some of their friends; it is amazing, so we will be celebrating accordingly tonight.”
Winning trainer Ian Williams said: “Dancing In Paris got a great ride. He was keen early and our biggest worry was that he would not settle. It looked as if he might get tapped for a little bit of space inside the final furlong, but the jockey got him out. It was a nice, professional ride.”
Riding quality raised
The presence at the meeting of marquee names like Moore and Japanese ace Yataka Take was an attempt to raise riding quality in the face of growing grumbles and it seems to have worked with more than 20,000 racegoers passing through the turnstiles of the legendary venue near London.
However, Luke Ferraris himself wouldn’t have been any sort of drawcard, never having competed in the UK before and not even representing his own, sports-accomplished, country of SA.
No-one needed to have any fears about the young man’s horsemanship, however. In his family, he was riding before learning to walk.
Ferraris turned out for Hong Kong. He has been riding professionally in Hong Kong for a few years now – after father David was a top trainer there for decades – and was selected to partner jockey room pals Vincent Ho (captain) and Jerry Chau.
The latter got Hong Kong off to a flying start with a win in the first race of the Shergar Cup contest, but Great Britain & Ireland eventually secured overall honours in their backyard, as it were, with Moore landing the Silver Saddle trophy for most points scored.
The once hugely popular – and very successful – “Girls” team of female riders in the Shergar were this time spread among the various teams: GB & Ireland, Hong Kong, Rest of the World and Europe.
The Shergar Cup is a fun, throwaway event on the racing calendar, aimed at families and non-regular racegoers, so isn’t intended to be reflective of international racing in any way. But, in the face of recent criticism, one wonders why there isn’t a concerted effort to get a Japan, Australia or US team on board. Even a Kiwi or Dubai trio.
Or, dare we say it, some Bokke in silks.
