I Love The Cup

Growing old is a strange experience which, on the whole, is an enjoyable one.

I’m at a stage in my life where I no longer have a mortgage, I seem to be escaping the ravages of the credit crunch – apart from the crippling increase in petrol prices, a real pain when you drive an average of 850 miles a week as I do.

Indeed I’m probably one of the few people who wants to see a rise in interest rates, being a saver rather than a borrower the higher the better.

Of course there are some downsides of getting older as well, not least the increasing aches and pains. Nothing serious mark you, just the odd irritating niggles and I find I am getting more tired – no more burning the candles at both ends and in the middle like in the good old days.

Of course I am also turning into a “grumpy old man” becoming more irritable, unable to comprehend the noise that today’s youngsters call music, you know what I mean.

However there are exceptions that prove the rule and, as time passes, there are some things I have become more accepting of. Although I’m not too sure if it becoming more accepting or just choosing my battles more carefully because of a lack of energy.     

One area where I have changed my view is the Shergar Cup. In its early incarnation I thought it was, to choose Paula Yates infamous line, “the sperm of Satan.”

It was a circus that goes against all that racing stands for. Racing is not a team event, never has been, never will be – unless of course you are Ballydoyle and you run half the runners in the field.

Running as a team will lead to all sorts of skulduggery and criticism.

Well this year sees the seventh running of the event and do you know what – I’m looking forward to it.

Yes the format is alien, but over the years it has been treated as a fun event. By adding a concert after racing Ascot pulls in people who would not normally go racing. 

In all probability most of the newcomers will probably never come racing again, however some will actually enjoy the racing and, shock horror, come racing again.

We need to get some new blood into the sport and if events like the Shergar Cup introduce newcomers to the sport than I think it would be churlish of us “racing insiders” to complain about one meeting having a novelty theme attached to it just for one day.

Also is there anything wrong with some novelty? Believe me I have been to some "normal" race meetings that have been as inspiring and enjoyable as a wet weekend in a dreary North Sea seaside "resort". Not only that the meeting seemed to drag on longer than said wet weekend.

Ascot is one of the few courses that could pull of an event like the Shergar Cup. It has world class facilities, especially now the bugs associated with the new stand have been ironed out.

It also has an innovative and reactive management team, as a result of which the Shergar Cup has been allowed to evolve, to become the successful event it now it.

For me the clincher has been the change, introduced last year, to move from a two to four team format, making the event more competitive.

The use of Mike Vince as course commentator is also innovative, although I initially questioned his use, he does have the ability to “work the crowd” and for an event like this he is ideal.

Put a note in your diary for next August, it is not an event for the purists, but if you want a real fun day out then get down to Ascot for the cup.