South African Rachel Venniker is the only jockey from the rainbow nation invited to the Shergar Cup in 2024. 

The only South African to win the leading rider prize called the silver saddle was Weichong Marwing in 2004 fresh of his Dubai successes at the time. 

Rest of the World captain Rachel King was among the jockeys who spoke to the media at Ascot today ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup on Saturday, 10th August.

King is looking forward to showcasing her talents to a UK audience, having spent the last 10 years establishing herself in Australia.

During that time, the 34-year-old was crowned Sydney’s Champion Apprentice in 2016/17 and has notched five G1 victories, most recently on Ozzmosis in November’s Coolmore Stud Stakes.

Before moving to Australia, she rode for Alan King, Mark Usher and Clive Cox, as well as working as a secretary for Hillwood Stud in Wiltshire.

King, who had two rides at Royal Ascot this year, said: “Coming back to Britain in June to get married and have a couple of rides at Royal Ascot was really special, especially finishing second on Strutting in the Sandringham Handicap. Being back is bringing back a few memories and I want to get it right on Saturday and get my head in front.

“It is a proud moment to come back after proving myself. My career was steady here. I never got a proper rhythm going. It is nice to come back established with a bit of a name behind me and hopefully ride some winners.

''It is great to be a team captain and even better Ascot have decided to have the 50-50 split of female and male jockeys this year. It shows the strength of the female riders and shows the turn of the times.

''In Australia, we are very rarely known as female jockeys, we are just jockeys. That is happening more and more around the world – maybe slightly slower than in Australia and New Zealand – and shows how dominant female jockeys are becoming.

“I have to be back to ride in Australia on Wednesday – the flight doesn't get any shorter – but I am honoured to compete at the Shergar Cup. I have ridden in similar jockey challenges around the world in the last 12 months, with amazing opportunities in Japan and Hong Kong, but this is one I have always wanted to do. I am very excited. My dad is even more so and has a coach load of people coming.

''I have only had a quick look at what I ride on Saturday but I see I have a ride on Insanity for Alan King, which is very special. Alan was my first proper boss in racing. I went there and told him I wanted to be a Jump jockey. He looked at the size of me and thought I was mad. I worked there for five or six years. It will be a big occasion to ride for him again.

“I used to get asked a lot if I was Alan's daughter and one person did ask if I was his granddaughter, which he was quite offended about! He was happier with the daughter thing. He put me up in a lot of lady amateur races, flat and jumps, and he was really supportive. I learnt so much there from people like Choc Thornton and Wayne Hutchinson. It was an incredible place to work.''

King is joined on the Rest of the World team by South Africa’s Rachel Venniker and Japan’s Nanako Fujita, who have both pushed boundaries for female riders in their countries.

Venniker is South Africa’s only professional female jockey, having taken the Champion Apprentice title in 2021/22 and 2022/23. The 22-year-old became the first woman to ride in the prestigious Durban July earlier this year.

Venniker said: “I am stable rider for Michael Roberts, so it is brilliant to have an ex-Champion Jockey, in Britain and South Africa, as my guv’nor. He has all the wisdom in the world to pass down. I am always trying my best to apply the knowledge I pick up.

“My strengths are probably my natural understanding of horses. I have worked with them since I was barely out the womb. I think it helps a lot to know the horses and understand them.

“Michael has given me plenty of advice and I am sure I will be getting more now I have had a look at the track – a few tips about what to do and how to do it properly. Michael was an incredible jockey and is always trying to help me. I am sure it will pay off.

“It is an honour and privilege to be invited to ride in the Shergar Cup. I have been to the Saudi International Challenge but to be invited to this is incredible. When I am not racing myself, I am always watching what is happening over here and I have seen quite a bit of the racing.

“The interest back home is massive. All the trainers I ride for and the owners in my main stable are super excited and can’t wait for me to send them all my rides. I arrived on Sunday and this is my first time in the UK. I am very excited. I have been to London and done the touristy stuff and went to Newmarket to ride out for Mr [William] Haggas.

“I am the first woman in my country to ride in the Durban July. Ticking that off the list was a proud moment. I am still trying to get that elusive Group One win but my career has been going very well. So far I am the only female jockey riding in South Africa but hopefully others will follow.

“It will be incredible to be riding in the first Shergar Cup with a 50-50 split of female and male jockeys and I am so proud to be part of it. It shows how much the sport is changing.”

Making her second appearance at the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, Fujita remains Japan’s most successful female jockey, with 165 domestic wins to her name.

Fujita said: “It is my second time riding in the Shergar Cup. When I came in 2019, everything was really new and I was more tense. My best finish was fourth. Riding in the Shergar Cup last time was a great experience and a boost to my career.

“This time I know more about the horses and the track, and I am more relaxed. I am hoping I can perform better. I am looking forward to winning this time.”

Italy’s Alberto Sanna and Spain’s Jose-Luis Borrego will represent Europe, alongside team captain Bauyrzhan Murzabayev.

A former Champion Apprentice in Italy, Sanna has made his name in Hong Kong and the Middle East, becoming Champion Jockey in both Bahrain and Qatar.

Sanna said: “I am very excited to be here. I have been riding all around the world but I said to my wife, ‘you can win all the big races around the world but, if you do not win here, you are nothing’. It is my dream to win a race here.

“I have been to Britain once before to ride in an apprentice race at Doncaster. It was an amazing experience and I was questioning myself why I had not come back. I was too busy riding in other places like Hong Kong, which was the best experience of my career.

“I follow British racing. Tomorrow I am going to Newmarket to ride work for Hamad Al Jehani. I have ridden for him when I was freelance in Qatar. Qatar has also given me a lot and I rode there last year for John and Sean Quinn.

“Myself, Frankie [Dettori] and Andrea [Atzeni] are all from Sardinia. We are quite good friends. To see all their winners over here makes me feel proud of them and my country, even though racing in Italy is not going so well.

"Frankie and Andrea have both won big races here, so I will message them later, and I will be seeing Andrea in Siena on Monday.’’

Borrego has won many of Spain’s flagship races, as well as the 1995 Champion Apprentice title, and is set to make his first appearance in the UK.

The 46-year-old said: “Riding in the Shergar Cup will be the pinnacle of my career, a nice finishing touch. It is the maximum I can aspire to. Ever since I was a little kid I have always wanted to ride at Ascot.

“I grew up in the 1990s with lots of top jockeys coming to Spain every Sunday, jockeys like John Reid, Richard and Michael Hills, Walter Swinburn. I consider that generation to be slightly better than the current ones. I was in total admiration of them.

“I have won all the top races in Spain, one of the few jockeys to have done so, but I am also proud to have ridden at all the top tracks in and near Paris.”

Discussing a fall at Madrid 15 years ago that almost cost him his life, he said: “It was a complete cardio and respiratory stoppage – no breathing or heartbeat for seven minutes. They thought I was dead. They got my heart going but I was in a coma for three days and was not released for 10 days. I started riding 10 weeks later. I have been fine since and the incident has made me stronger and more fearless.”

L-R: Alberto Sanna, Rachel King, Nanako Fujita, Rachel Venniker, Jose-Luis Borrego (credit: Megan Coggin)