Andy Newton gives you his ITV Racing horse racing tips from Ascot as the Berkshire track stages their Shergar Cup fixture. 

The horse racing one-day team event will see four teams of three jockeys from around the world lock horns to try and win the most points for their sides.

Love it, or hate it – the event has stood the test of time, having been first run in 2000 and this year will see Ryan Moore in action for the first time since 2006.

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Andy Newton’s Quick-View ITV Horse Racing Tips (Saturday Aug 8th, 2026)

• 🏇1:35 ASCOT: BOLO NEIGHS / FANDOM
• 🏇2:10 ASCOT: SHRIMP SHADY 
• 🏇2:45 ASCOT: NIGHT BREEZE (NAP)
• 🏇3:20 ASCOT: MAY ANGEL (e/w) 
• 🏇3:55 ASCOT: HOSEKI (NB)
• 🏇4:30 ASCOT: POPMASTER (e/w) / TWO TRIBES 

You can also tune into the Final Furlong Podcast each week where I join the team to break down all the weekend action.

ASCOT ITV Horse Racing Tips on Shergar Cup Day (Saturday 8th August, 2026)

13:35 ASCOT — Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash Cl2 (3yo+ 0-105) 5f (ITV)

BOLO NEIGHS can take this for trainer Ralph Beckett after catching the eye when strongly over CD last time out.

He takes on the winner that day again All Ways Glamorous, but is 5lbs better off for that 2½ length defeat, which should be enough to reverse that form.

Plus the stats tell us 15 of the last 17 winners of this DIDN’T come here off a recent win – something that’s against All Ways Glamorous.

Prior to that, the pick put in a rock-solid third to Amazing Journey over 6f.

Which is a line of form that’s been given a shot in the arm since, with the winner going on to land the International – also here at Ascot.

The final bonus is top French jockey Christophe Lemaire taking the reins.

Of the rest, with Ryan Moore making his first Shergar Cup appearance since 2006, and his vast Ascot experience will make him popular in most of the races.

He rides the Archie Watson-trained Spartan Arrow, who is down 3lbs for his last run (7th at Goodwood).

Another rider who will be the subject of a lot of bets is Saffie Osborne, who rides Ascot well too. She gets the mount on Robert Cowell’s Fahrenheit Seven.

Cowell’s yard have also won two of the last seven renewals, but needs to bounce back from two poor runs after running third to Royal Ascot winner Mission Central at Naas in April.

However, the main danger to the selection is FANDOM, who posted a quality third here at Ascot back in July.

Yes, he disappointed in the Stewards’ Cup last week, but a return to the Berkshire track, where we know he’s gone well before, should be right up his alley.

🥇 BOLO NEIGHS
🥈 FANDOM
🥉 Fahrenheit Seven

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14:10 ASCOT – Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers (GBBPlus Race) Cl2 (4yo+ 0-100) 2m (ITV)

SHRIMP SHADY heads here having won three of his last five start and seems the feels like the safest option in his stayers’ race.

With the last coming at Newbury in the middle of July.

Mountain Road and Mariner also arrive off last-time-out victories, but Ryan Moore getting the ride on the pick suggests this 4yold is going to be well-supported.

He’s only been raised 3lbs for a recent 2m ½f win at Newbury and with just four career runs on the turf (3 wins) you feel there’s a lot more to come.

On top of that, Andrew Balding’s stable loves this contest – since 2008 he’s won the prize twice.

I take Shrimp Shady to flex his ‘muscles’ again here.

As for the rest, SPIRIT MIXER finished fifth in 2025 and gets in off the exact same rating (94).

He’s another Balding inmate, this time with Saffie Osborne in the plate, he can’t be ruled out either.

So, don’t rule out a Team GB & Ireland and Andrew Balding first and second.

🥇 SHRIMP SHADY
🥈 SPIRIT MIXER
🥉 Mountain Road

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14:45 ASCOT – Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge (GBBPlus Race) Cl2 (4yo+ 0-100) 1m4f (ITV)

NIGHT BREEZE took this same race last year and I think this Ian Williams runner will be hard to beat again.

Oaks-winning jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle is in the saddle and this 6yold comes here off a fair third at Goodwood in late July and sits just 3lbs higher.

Sure, he’s 11lbs above the mark he carried to victory a year ago, but for whatever reason he seems to save his best for Ascot. Backed up with 1-2-1 track stats in recent outings here.

12 months ago he also seemed to win with more in the tank, with jockey Robbie Dolan just coaxing him home and (as far as I could see) not even using the whip.

Ryan Moore rides Asgard’s Captain, who was fifth in this last season, and will be an obvious threat, while his team partner will guide Ed Walker’s course winner Fantasy Believer.

Saffie knows this horse inside out, having ridden him to five victories; the only slight query is the trip – as he’s yet to win over this far.

It could easily be a 1-2-3 for the GB & Irish team here.

But we’ve also got last year’s third (and 2024 winner), Insanity, back for another crack.

He’s 9lbs better off with Night Breeze this time, though he remains 5lbs above his last winning mark.

I feel he’s a placepot horse, but just doesn’t win enough for me to make in the win pick.

🥇 NIGHT BREEZE (NAP)
🥈 Fantasy Believer
🥉 Insanity

Big result for GB & Ireland 💚

Night Breeze wins the Shergar Cup Challenge under Robbie Dolan at @Ascot!

pic.twitter.com/oidiTU7thA

— Sky Sports Racing (@SkySportsRacing) August 9, 2025

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15:20 ASCOT – Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint Cl2 (3yo 0-100) 6f (ITV)

MAY ANGEL (e/w) is worth a sporting chance here after running a respectable race at Newmarket in a contest that’s already produced several winners.

The likely favourite, Thunder Call, finished ahead of him in third that day, but our pick is 1lb better off now.

Market leaders have dominated this race-taking five of the last six renewals-and the stiffer Ascot track should suit May Angel much better given his proven stamina over 7f.

The runner-up from that Newmarket contest, Calico Blue, has already come out and won since.

Plus the sixth, a horse called Ghost Mode, has also won since – when winning at Goodwood last Saturday.

Red Spells Danger finished fourth in the same race and returns too. However, with his last win coming off a mark 13lbs higher, I wonder if the handicapper has just caught up with him for now.

With four of the last six winners coming from stalls 9 through 12, May Angel’s draw in berth 9 is another welcome tick.

🥇 MAY ANGEL (e/w)
🥈 Thunder Call
🥉 Red Spells Danger

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15:55 ASCOT – Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic (GBBPlus Race) Cl3 (3yo 0-95) 1m4f (ITV)

HOSEKI can give trainer William Haggas a third win in the Classic since 2022 – having won it last season with Tenability.

This rapidly improving 3-year-old caught the eye last time here and might prove very tough to stop.

Okay, she only got home by a short-head last time out, but this Saxon Warrior filly showed serious grit to dig deep and get her head in front at the line.

That track experience will be invaluable, and with just five career starts (and three wins) under her belt. She still has plenty of scope to progress after looking a touch green last time.

She saw out the trip remarkably well, and despite a 5lb rise, she looks the selection to outstay this field. Saffie Osborne rides.

Among the opposition, Ryan Moore’s mount, Archers Bay, is bound to draw plenty of support.

Meanwhile, Blue Hercules-a solid second here last time-could flex his muscles under Australian rider Jamie Melham.

🥇 HOSEKI (NB)
🥈 Archers Bay
🥉 Blue Hercules

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16:30 ASCOT – Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile Cl2 (4yo+ 0-105) 1m (ITV)

POPMASTER is starting to look ‘tuned-up’ again after a solid 4th last time at Sandown.

Now an 8-year-old, Ed Walker’s grey isn’t getting any younger but stayed on well the last day to suggest he could go well on what will be his 60th career run.

He was only two lengths off the winner, Indalo, that day and gets a 1lb pull with the third, Ebt’s Guard, who finished just ahead of him.

Ebt’s Guard actually won this race last year, but he carries 5lbs more this time around. And might be one for the places, rather than another win.

Popmaster is a proven course winner too, so we know the track suits and stall 6 looks ideal given the last six winners were all drawn 6 or lower.

I’ll also be having an interest in TWO TRIBES, a horse I’ve been shouting about in recent weeks. He ran a blinder to finish second at 40/1 here two runs ago.

You can completely write off his last run in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood, where he stumbled right out of the gates as the well-backed favourite.

But I think it’s interesting connections are upping him to 1m here. Which will be the first time he’s tried this far.

His running style suggests the extra yardage will suit and Dylan Browne McMonagle is a big bonus in the saddle.

Bullet Point and Cerulean Bay are others to respect-the latter was runner-up in this race last season. But is 14lbs higher this time around.

So I’ll ‘go to war’ with Two Tribes once more, alongside the old-boy Popmaster to be a ‘hit’.

🥇 POPMASTER
🥈 TWO TRIBES
🥉 Ebt’s Guard

INDALO gets up to win the Coral Challenge at Sandown! 🥇

Advised at 4/1 (30p Rule 4) in today’s Lucky 15 over on @BetCoUK ! ✅

After being a victim of the draw bias at Royal Ascot in the Royal Hunt Cup, he deserved to land a big one and he has now! 👏🏻
pic.twitter.com/LexDp51OCY https://t.co/m9MEE8YAcG

— RacingGav (@RacingGav) July 4, 2026

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