Euro team wins jockey challenge

Gerald Mosses two wins led the European team to a 94-57 victory over the Rest of the World team in the Shergar Cup jockey compeition at Ascot on Saturday. Yutaka Take rode two winners for the Rest of the World side, for whom Russell Baze had two second-place finishers, the second of which helped propel his team into second place ahead of the British team in the four-team competition. The Irish team finished fourth.

Take got the Rest of the World team off to a fast start in the six-race competition, winning the first two contests aboard the 3-1 favorite Strike Up the Band and the 7-1 Nans Joy. Mosse took the third race aboard the 7-2 Shifting Star by a length from Baze on the 14-1 Al Muheer. Mosses second behind Hayley Turner of the British side on the 5-1 Gee Dee Nen solidified the lead of the Europeans, who all but clinched the title when Mirco Demuro won the fifth race on the 16-1 Strategic Mount. Mosse scored another one-length victory over Baze in the final race in which the 4-1 Perfect Start defeated the 8-1 Ace of Hearts.

Mosse beat out Take for the individual title 50-37, with Baze in sixth place at 20. Jorge Ricardo, who still leads Baze on the all-time riders win list, 10,299 to 10,234, failed to finish in the first five with any of his five mounts.

Baze said that he had enjoyed participating in the competition, even though he was handed a four-day suspension by the Ascot stewards for overuse of the whip aboard his first mount of the day, Mac Gille Eoin, who finished sixth, according to the Racing Post. Bazes suspension will run from Aug. 25-28.

Ive had a blast, Baze said. I have to admit its been quite a challenge because Ascot is different to what Im used to. I was just getting used to it at the end but sadly its all over.

o George Strawbridge has the favorite for next years 1000 Guineas after his Dynaformer filly Rainbow View stormed to a six-length victory in the Group 3, $96,000 Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday. Trained by John Gosden and ridden by Jimmy Fortune, she overcame early rankness in coming from last to first in the 13-runner contest. Misdaqeya held second by a head from Minor Vamp. The time for the straight seven furlongs on good to soft ground was 1:27.80.