Racing: Mud fails to deter foreign jockeys in Shergar Cup

David Flores is an 8-1 chance with the sponsors to retain his Silver Saddle trophy as the leading rider in tomorrow's Shergar Cup. Mexican-born Flores, who rode two winners in last year's team competition, will captain the Rest of the World team, who are available at 13-8 to repeat their success of 12 months ago in this year's event.

But the foreign contingent, who include top names such as Doug Whyte, Gerald Mosse and Andreas Suborics, will have to come to terms with the thread of unfamiliar and muddy conditions. Torrential rain in the last 24 hours has left the official going "soft, heavy in places".

"We had two inches last night and another inch today but hopefully the worst of it is over now," Ascot's clerk of the course, Nick Cheyne, said yesterday evening. "The forecast is for it to start drying out and I am obviously hoping that proves to be correct."

This year will be the fourth year of the team event, which features a team of jockeys from Great Britain and Ireland – the 4-9 favourites with the sponsors, bookmakers Blue Square – taking on their counterparts from the rest of the world.

The draw took place at Ascot yesterday for tomorrow's six races which will all have 10 runners, meaning each of the six jockeys on both teams will have five rides during the afternoon.

Points are awarded to the team totals depending upon the finishing positions and few who were present at last year's event will forget the dramatic 1-2-3 in the concluding sprint contest that saw the Rest of the World snatch victory.

Flores, who rode Orientor to success in that contest, flew in to Britain yesterday and said: "I was watching the video only this morning to jog my memory and it was amazing seeing it all again.

"We got a beautiful run, he was strong to the finish and to win it for the team was an amazing thrill."

The prospect of riding in races over a variety of distances does not faze Flores, even in the forecast conditions. "You've just got to feel the way with the horses," he said. "I couldn't believe how hard some of them were pulling but they still got home, even in the two-mile race.

"I hope we can get together and work out our tactics to win. I think the home team have an advantage because they know the track and the horses. But we'll make a plan to come away as winners. I got pretty lucky to win on a couple of long-shots last year and if we get that luck again we'll be fine."

The two team managers, snooker player John Parrott and ex-champion jockey Michael Roberts, were at Ascot yesterday to draw horses for their respective teams, with first choice alternating between the two for each race.

Roberts had no hesitation in plumping for Beauchamp Pilot in the opening Shergar Cup Mile, which will be the mount of the Australian Craig Williams, who has been riding around the world since his last stint in Britain ended last autumn.

"The horse likes soft ground, the stable is in good form and I think he's the winner," Roberts said. "I want my team to go out and show the British public what great riders they are."

SHERGAR CUP (Blue Square odds): Great Britain & Ireland team 4-9, Rest of the World team 13-8. Top jockey: 11-4 Murtagh, 7-2 Kinane, 8-1 Flores, Whyte, Williams, 10-1 Darley, Fallon, 12-1 Suborics, 16-1 Mosse, Hughes, 20-1 Eddery, 25-1 Goto.