Hong Kong’s challenge for one of international racing’s most distinctive team competitions has taken shape, with Vincent Ho set to captain a three-man squad that includes rising stars Jerry Chau and Luke Ferraris at the 2026 Shergar Cup at Ascot on Saturday, 8 August.
2026 Shergar Cup.
The announcement by The Hong Kong Jockey Club confirms Chau and Ferraris will join Ho in representing Team Hong Kong in the 25th edition of the celebrated international contest, where riders compete for team honours rather than solely individual success.
The selection underlines Hong Kong racing’s growing influence on the global stage, with three accomplished jockeys preparing to face elite riders representing Great Britain & Ireland, Europe and the Rest of the World at one of Britain’s most famous racecourses.
Ho returns to Ascot for a second Shergar Cup appearance after enjoying success there in 2019, when he partnered Power Of Darkness to victory in the Shergar Cup Mile while representing the Rest of the World team. This year, the 36-year-old takes on the additional responsibility of leading Team Hong Kong.
A graduate of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Apprentice Jockeys’ School, Ho has established himself among the territory’s leading riders with 646 career victories. He is best known internationally for his partnership with champion racehorse Golden Sixty, guiding the multiple Group 1 winner throughout an extraordinary career.
“It’s definitely a privilege to represent Team Hong Kong,” Ho said. “It’s the first time Team Hong Kong has participated in the Shergar Cup, and we’ll do our best to represent Hong Kong. I had a really great experience at Ascot in 2019. It’s definitely one of the best racecourses in the world.”
Jerry Chau brings impressive credentials to the team after another strong campaign in Hong Kong. The 26-year-old currently sits fifth in the jockeys’ championship and leads the homegrown riders with 46 victories this season as he chases the Tony Cruz Award.
Chau graduated from the Apprentice Jockeys’ School in 2021 and made an immediate impression by setting a Hong Kong record of 58 winners in his first full season as an apprentice. Among his notable achievements is victory aboard Self Improvement in last year’s Group 3 Korea Sprint.
“I really want to thank The Hong Kong Jockey Club for the amazing opportunity,” Chau said. “It’s a privilege for me to represent Team Hong Kong and I will do my absolute best.”
Luke Ferraris completes the Hong Kong trio and arrives with a rich racing heritage. A third-generation member of one of South Africa’s best-known racing families, the 24-year-old spent part of his childhood in Hong Kong while his father, David Ferraris, trained there.
Ferraris later returned to South Africa to serve his apprenticeship under Hall of Fame trainer Ormond Ferraris before capturing the South African Triple Crown in 2021 aboard Malmoos. Since returning to Hong Kong as a full-time rider, he has ridden 164 winners, including 34 this season.
“It’s a big privilege to be part of the Hong Kong team and an honour,” Ferraris said. “To ride at Ascot is a big achievement in itself. Hopefully we can get some good rides and make Hong Kong proud.”
The 2026 Shergar Cup will also feature accomplished international riders including Australia’s Jamie Melham and India’s Suraj Narredu, while previous editions have attracted many of the sport’s biggest names.
Unlike conventional race meetings, the Shergar Cup is contested as a team event. Riders compete in their team colours across six races, earning points for the first five finishers in each contest. The team accumulating the highest total claims the Shergar Cup, while the leading individual rider receives the Silver Saddle.
Andrew Harding, Executive Director of Racing at The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said the introduction of Team Hong Kong reflects the strength and international standing of Hong Kong racing.
He described Ho, Chau and Ferraris as outstanding representatives of one of the world’s most competitive riding colonies and said the event provides another opportunity to showcase Hong Kong’s racing talent on the international stage.
Ascot’s Director of Racing and Public Affairs, Nick Smith, welcomed the partnership with The Hong Kong Jockey Club, describing the inclusion of Team Hong Kong as a landmark moment in the event’s 25-year history and another step in strengthening its international appeal.
With an accomplished captain, two ambitious young riders and national pride at stake, Team Hong Kong will head to Ascot aiming to make a memorable impression when the 2026 Shergar Cup brings together many of the world’s leading jockeys in early August.
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