'He’s still got it' - Berkshire Shadow earns finals day place with Listed win

Berkshire Shadow fulfilled a lifelong dream for Paul Spickett when providing the owner with his first Royal Ascot winner in 2021 and the Andrew Balding-trained four-year-old bounced back with his first success since in the Listed Lady Wulfruna Stakes.

He had Angel Bleu behind when taking the 2021 Coventry Stakes before the latter reversed the form in the Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood en route to back-to-back Group 1 victories at the end of his juvenile campaign.

Angel Bleu was displaced at the head of the betting by his old foe before the pair’s first runs on the all-weather, and the late market support proved correct as Berkshire Shadow justified 5-2 favouritism under Oisin Murphy.

The winner had failed to score in five starts over a mile last season, but relished the drop back to seven furlongs on his first appearance since a gelding operation.

“He had a few niggles last year but Andrew was quite hopeful; he was doing some good work at home,” said Spickett. 

Berkshire Shadow is likely to head to Newcastle for the all-weather championship Finals Day having earned automatic qualification for the £150,000 mile race on April 7.

Spickett added: “He’s been a great horse. The Coventry would have done me. If he’d won anymore, that was just a bonus. It just shows, he’s still got it. Roll on Good Friday!”

Berkshire Shadow was a sixth winner from just eight runners in 2023 for Spickett, although the red and white silks of his Berkshire Parts and Panels business were lowered in the 7f handicap that followed. The hat-trick seeking Berkshire Phantom could manage only fourth in a race won by Archie Watson’s He’s A Monster.

Tidy Totnes

Berkshire Shadow ensured Balding become the most successful trainer in the history of Wolverhampton's flagship event and his day got even better when Totnes took the 7f novice stakes.

The three-year-old filly got off the mark at the second attempt to complete a 104-1 treble for Murphy, who had earlier helped the Rod Millman-trained Just A Spark make a winning handicap debut.

A ride in the Champion Bumper at next week’s Cheltenham Festival had been touted as a possibility for Murphy, but that was ruled out by the two-time champion Flat jockey, who said: “I’ve got to go to Kempton.”

'Adaptable' Alrehb

Alrehb fended off the challenge of the in-form Godolphin-owned favourite Unforgotten and last year’s winner Notre Belle Bete to take the Lincoln Trial Handicap.

Kevin Philippart De Foy’s grey was halved in price by bet365 to 10-1 for the main event at Doncaster on April 1, although Newbury’s Spring Cup later that month may be the preferred option.

“The forecast would probably dictate those sorts of things,” said winning rider Daniel Muscutt, who joined Kevin Stott at the top of the all-weather jockeys' championship. 

“Alrehb is quite adaptable," Muscutt said. "He’s got a good cruising speed, so seven or a mile probably isn’t much of a difference, especially in those big field handicaps.”

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