Team Ireland won the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot last Saturday. Richard Hughes, captain of the Irish team, covered himself with glory by steering a 377-1 treble. Neil Callan, another Irish team member, booted home a winner. Frederik Johansson, representing Europe, had one winner. Hayley Turner won a race for team England. The Rest of the World drew a blank.

Ireland had 101 points. England was second with 56. Europe was third with 52 points. Rest of the World had 47.

Richard Hughes was the leading individual with 49 points. Hayley Turner and Frederik Johansson tied for second with 30. Neil Callan had 29 points.

The three winners jockey Hughes rode were, Polly’s Mark, We’ll Come and Press The Button. Jockey Callan won with Aim To Prosper. The first of the six races went to Frederik Johansson and Group Therapy. The sixth and last race in the competition was won by Hayley Turner and Noverre To Go.

Jockey Hughes commented, “the Shergar Cup should be a jockey’s competition and not a team event.”

James Willoughby, writer for the Racing Post, was the selector of the Irish contingent. He said, “what a giant of a man Richard Hughes is. At the moment, he is on good terms with himself. His weight is under control. He is playing a lot of golf, he is relaxed and he has been sensational.”

Karen Smith and Sarah Byrne of Ascot Race Course have sent pictures of the Shergar Cup. The pictures are bright, colourful and exemplify the saying, ‘a picture speaks a thousand words.’

At Deauville last Sunday, the Group I Prix Maurice de Gheest was run. It was a 1200-metre race on the grass. Deauville runs a summer meeting. It is the French Saratoga. King’s Apostle, a British invader, had the last laugh. Ryan Moore was aboard the William Haggas-trained King’s Apostle, a five year-old by King’s Best. The race was run in 1 15.7 on a good turf course. Mariol, Christoohe Lemaire up, was the runner-up. Jockey Lemaire rode at Arlington in Chicago on Saturday and was in Paris on Sunday.

Trainer Haggas, Lester Piggott’s son in law, commented. “Last time out in the July Cup at Newmarket, he got knocked sideways. He has been knocking at the door in Grade I races and this was thoroughly deserved.”

Naaqoos, a Freddie Head trainee and top freshman in France in 2008, was a disappointment. African Rose, from Criquette Marek-Head’s barn, ran poorly as well.

At Saratoga on Saturday, the $300,000 Test Stakes, a Grade I race over 1400 metres for sophomore girls, was contested. The race resulted in a win for the Godolphin-owned and Saeed bin Suroor-trained Flashing. The A P Indy filly was ridden by Richard Migliore. The time was 1 22.4 and Flashing returned $11.20.Pretty Prolific took second. Cat Moves, the 11-10 favorite, salvaged third. Flashing had received a thrashing from Rachel Alexandra in Belmont’s Mother Goose in late June.

Trainer Suroor spoke about Flashing. “That’s a different class to run with Rachel Alexandra. This filly (Flashing) is tough. Seven furlongs suit her a lot.”

Jockey Migliore was laconic. “Things fell just right. She travelled beautifully.”

Let us take a look at what happened at Del Mar on Saturday. The feature was the $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes. It was a 1200-metre race. Zensational was the 2/5 favorite and the Unbridled’s Song colt won as all such piping hot choices are expected to. Five ran in the Bing Crosby and Zensational had the fence. Jockey Victor Espinoza took a moment or two to get his colt going. Once in command, Zensational gave no anxiety to his large following. The time was 1 08.57 seconds on Del Mar’s polytrack. Zensational won by two and one half lengths. Talkin to Mom Roo ran on late to deprive Global Hunter of the bridesmaid role.

Zensational won the Grade I Triple Bend in his last start. With four wins in six outings, Zensational has now earned $429,300.

Jockey Espinoza talked about Zensational’s speed. “He’s fast. There is no doubt. He is something. If I let him, this horse would run a 20-second quarter mile. He is special.”

Trainer Bob Baffert compared Zensational to Midnight Lute, a dual Breeders’ Cup winner he trained. “I always feel nervous with a horse like this. I never thought I would get another sprinter like Midnight Lute but Zensational is incredible.”

James Mcingvale is a Houston businessman. He owns the Gallery Furniture Stores. He has proposed a match race between Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta. He has offered to pay the 2-million dollar race. The winner will get 1.2 million and the other will get $800,000. Mr Mcingvale says that that the race can be run in late September or early October at Sam Houston Park in Texas.

“I think it would be good for horse racing and be good for Houston. Hopefully, I can make some money on it,” Mr Mcingvale said.

Talking about Zenyatta, the Street Cry mare made it 12 for 12 at Del Mar on Sunday. The race was the 1700-metre Clement L Hirsch Stakes. It was a Grade I event. The 1-5 Zenyatta won by a head over Anabaa’s Creation. The latter had hit the front and was shaping like a winner only to knuckle under. Zenyatta was in the rear, was wide into the final turn and rallied and, to the delight of those who had refused to look beyond her, got her head in front in the last jump. The time was 1 43.24 on the polytrack. One half length away from Anabaa’s Creation and in third was Lethal Heat. Life Is Sweet finished fourth.

The Clement Hirsch purse was $300,000. Zenyatta has $2,594,580 in her account. She will now go for 13 for 13, a record held by the peerless Personal Ensign.

Jockey Mike Smith spoke. “I thought I had it. I certainly underestimated the competition. 1 1/16 miles is a little bit short for her. May be, I was a little too focused on Life Is Sweet (Zenyatta’s stablemate and the key danger in many a book) but the horses that ran second and third, ran great.”

Trainer John Shirreffs was relieved. “It was close, very close. I was just so happy because everyone came out to see her. I wanted them to see her perform well.”

At Saratoga on Saturday, another Grade I race was run. Bullsbay, Jeremy Rose, charged through the Saratoga stretch to win the $750,000 Whitney Handicap. A Tiznow progeny, Bullsbay won by a length and a half. The Whitney was run over 1800 metres. Macho Again was second. Commentator, the venerable eight year-old and the second favorite, set the pace and weakened to be third. Smooth Air, post time choice, ran below expectations. Bullsbay now has a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita.

Jockey Rose spoke about his mount’s longshot status. “I told the pony boy in the post parade that I’m the best 16-1 I have been on in a long time. Trust me, this horse has beaten the favorite before and today is my horse’s day. He fired.”

Commentator, a gelded son of Distorted Humor, was seeking his third win in the Whitney. Kelso and Discovery are the only two three-time winners of the Whitney. Commentator had 14 wins in 24 starts and made $2,049,845. Trainer Nick Zito, two days after the Whitney, announced Commentator’s retirement. “He’s officially retired. We will let him go out on a high note. Physically, there’s nothing wrong with him.”

At Del Mar on Sunday, jockeys Alex Solis and Aaron Gryder were in a spill. Fortunately, neither was hurt. Endless Moon broke down in a $25,000 maiden claiming event. Alex Solis went down. Jockey Gryder, riding Captain Cash, could not avoid the fallen horse. Solis sat up but Gryder had to be taken to a hospital. It has been reported that Gryder is doing well.