FRANKIE Dettori, Ryan Moore and Josephine Gordon have all been forced to pull out of the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot on Saturday, writes Dave Wright.

The top trio were originally named for this unique race meeting which sees four teams of three jockeys competing against each other in six races.

But all three are required at other tracks, including Newmarket, where there are a number of big Group races.

Dettori has been replaced by fellow Italian Umberto Rispoli in the European team completed by Alexander Pietsch from Germany and Adrie De Vries.

Fran Berry has taken the place of Moore in the British and Irish trio which also includes Jamie Spencer and Kerrin McEvoy.

Hayley Turner replaces Gordon in the Girls team, joining Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne and Canadian Emma-Jayne Wilson.

Gordon will instead ride at Newmarket, where she has been booked by trainer Hugo Palmer to ride Jousi in the Sweet Solera Stakes.

Turner officially retired from the saddle in 2015, but has since made a handful of appearances including last year’s 2016 Shergar Cup.

The 34-year-old, who is also now a TV racing presenter, revealed last weekend she plans to ride in to France during the winter.

Each jockey on Saturday will ride in five of the six races, all handicaps worth worth £45,000 each.

There is a £3,000 prize as well as the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle Trophy on offer to the highest points-scoring jockey of the day. Points are awarded 15, 10, 7, 5, 3 for the first five horses home.

Colm McLoughlin, executive vice-chairman and CEO of sponsors Dubai Duty Free, said: “The line-up of jockeys for this year’s event demonstrates that the competition continues to command the attention of top riders from all over the world.”

With gates opening at 11am, the first race is due off at 1.05 with the last at 4pm.

Then at 4.30pm there will be a concert featuring Craig David, All Saints and Feeder.

All tickets for the three Ascot enclosures are already sold out, but early this week there were some places available in the Windsor Forest Restaurant at £155 per person.

The meeting is being screened on ITV4.