Home team favourites for Shergar Cup Britain and Ireland are rated odds-on to retain the Blue Square Shergar Cup at Ascot on Saturday.The sponsors quote the home-based quintet, captained by champion Kevin Darley, at 1-2 in the team competition to see off a 6-4 Rest Of The World side skippered by Frankie Dettori, following the draw for mounts at lunchtime today.Richard Hughes, called up to the home squad earlier this week to replace Richard Quinn, is Blue Square`s 9-2 favourite to be the top individual rider.And Hughes reckons he could have been handed a golden chance in the richest race, the Stg£100,000 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint, having been paired with Ben Hanbury`s Mugharreb.'He`d have a right chance,' said Hughes. 'He`s a very consistent horse and it`s not the best sprint in the world so he`d have a big chance. Jentzen would be the one to beat.'American star David Flores, who links up with Godolphin`s American operation as well as riding regularly for leading trainer Bob Baffert, onlyflew into Heathrow from California at 6am but is fully awake to the new experience that lies ahead.'There are two things that are different here,' said Flores, who rode two big winners in Express Tour and Festival Of Light at the Dubai World Cup meeting in March.'I went to walk in the stretch and it looks like it is uphill, and another thing is that it is the other way around.'But as long I get the horses that know their way, I hope they take me there.'Flores will have an early chance to sample British racing, as he has at least one ride at Newmarket on Friday evening - BeautifultomMorrow - and will then ride out for Godolphin on Saturday.The Rest Of The World`s celebrity manager, Jeff Thomson, the former Australian fast bowler, typically predicted a repeat result of a recent rugby series - another defeat for a British and Irish elite.However, Thomson, in Britain as a member of the media covering the current Ashes series, revealed what he is really hoping to get out of Saturday`s showdown.'I think the jockeys will know more than me so I`m looking forward to getting some tips on what we`re going to back,' he said.
