Bookies Reckon Home Team Have It All To Do

The Rest Of The World team have been chalked up as the 4-6 favourites to again walk away with the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot tomorrow following the all-important draw ceremony.

Managed by the retired South African ace Michael Roberts and captained by Frankie Dettori, the six-man outfit secured some key mounts at today's press conference which left the Great Britain and Ireland team as the 11-10 outsiders with Ladbrokes.

The ROW have comprehensively outwitted their opponents in the last two renewals of the six-race event, and Ladbrokes' spokesman David Williams is expecting more of the same.

He said:' The second race (the Juvenile) could settle the whole thing as ROW have some excellent chances.

'They have the first two in the betting in Doctor Brown and Armigerent and it could be all over after that. They also have Young Mick in the Shergar Cup Challenge and many people view that horse as the banker of the meeting.'

Dettori will be joined by Australia's Glen Boss, six-times Hong Kong champion Doug Whyte, Japan's Yuichi Fukunaga, Gerald Mosse and Canadian phenomenon Emma-Jayne Wilson.

Former Classic-winning rider Jason Weaver will manage the home team while last year's champion jockey Jamie Spencer takes the captaincy role.

The 26-year-old will be joined by Shergar Cup veteran Mick Kinane along with the debuting Robert Winston, Seb Sanders, Ryan Moore and Hayley Turner ? who along with Emma-Jayne become the first female participants.

And although both are relishing their challenge, a chance to ride in England has been a dream come true for the Canadian, who was the first female in its 50-year history to land the riding title at Woodbine last year.

'My parents are from Essex and I have been here before but this will be my first time riding outside of Canada,' said Wilson, speaking after the draw ceremony.

'When I got the initial phone call asking me to come across I was extremely excited and it floored me to be honest.

'It is unbelievable to come and take part in a prestigious event like this at Ascot.

'I have never ridden here but it is still just horses with four legs and a jockey, so lets go.'

Turner, crowned joint-champion apprentice last season, added: 'I have watched it every year and it will be a great experience to ride with some of the top jockeys from around the world.

'I have been looking forward to this for the past few months and it will be a great experience.'

? PA Sport