Berkshire Shadow stamped his class on the Spreadex All-Weather Mile Championships to complete a 106/1 treble for Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy, as well as moving the trainer to the top of the all-time list for Finals Day wins with six victories.
Owned by Berkshire-based businessman Paul Spickett, Berkshire Shadow won the G2 Coventry Stakes as a juvenile in 2021 and was beaten less than two lengths in last season’s G1 St James’s Palace Stakes.
The six runners split into two equal groups early on, with Berkshire Shadow tracking Lord Of The Lodge towards the centre of the course and The Wizard Of Eye bringing up the trio that raced up the stands’ rail.
The Wizard Of Eye kicked on into a narrow advantage a furlong and a half out but could not shake off the attentions of Berkshire Shadow, who reeled in the leader approaching the final half-furlong.
Murphy pushed out the 7/4 favourite to win by three-quarters of a length over a staying-on Chichester, with The Wizard Of Eye a further half length back in third.
Murphy said: “I came with lots of nice rides and it’s brilliant that the horses have performed. Berkshire Shadow was obviously brilliant at two and then lost his way, but he has bounced back.
“He won a Listed race last time and today felt like a stiff mile. We were going to learn for the future and he has shown that he definitely stays. I would love to see the sectional time for the last furlong as it felt like we really slowed down, so it was going to be a good test of stamina and we learnt plenty.
“Unfortunately, Berkshire Rocco and Arabian Storm didn’t win, but I came here with good rides and to win three races is fantastic. We have a lot of horses at Andrew Balding’s and there’s a lot of hard work - I just ride them. I know jockeys say that sometimes, but when you think of the overall involvement, so much goes on behind the scenes.”
Spickett said: “Amazing, absolutely amazing. Oisin is a brilliant jockey and he rode a peach – he couldn’t have rode the race any better. To see Berkshire Shadow back like he is, I am happy happy happy.
"Last year he just had a niggle and we didn’t know what was wrong but obviously he did. He ran in some good races and didn’t disgrace himself but didn’t give that extra little bit of effort that is required.
"I would like to go to Newbury [for the Lockinge Stakes] now. It is just down the road and I think that will be the next race for him, but I’ll speak to Andrew.
"Andrew knows what he’s doing and a big thank you to him. He is doing an amazing job and keeping owners like me very happy."
Anna Lisa Balding: “This is brilliant – Berkshire Shadow is a special horse. Paul has been very patient with him, and ever since he won the Coventry, he has run well without winning. I know he won on the all-weather earlier in the year, of course, but this was the target for him and he did it in style.
“He did very well as a two-year-old; he just finally looks like a proper horse now. It’s taken time to fill his frame. You look at him in the paddock, he’s an outstanding-looking horse, and he’s matched that on the racecourse today.
“Newbury might be the plan. We’ve got to see how he is when he comes home, but he’s in very good form and Oisin said he really saw the mile out well.”
Chichester’s jockey Kevin Stott said: “He ran brilliantly. He has been running so consistently all winter. He deserved his chance in this race and unfortunately we just bumped into one that was progressing really well.”
Stan Moore, trainer of The Wizard Of Eye, said: “I think he ran a blinder. He was a little bit gassy early on, race freshness, and he will come on a lot for the run. I think it was a solid run and it’s a tough course to run that way, trying to be handy. I am over the moon and, as long as we get no ailments with him, there will be a lot of fun to be had.
“He’s entered in a Group Three in Germany in the middle of May and he’s also in the Lockinge at Newbury. If there are going to be loads of runners in the Lockinge, we might go to Germany. But if not, we might pay our money and take our chance. He definitely has a big race in him.”
