Berkshire Shadow bounced back to form and set up a potential trip to Newcastle on Good Friday with a stylish success in the Spreadex Sports Lady Wulfruna Stakes at Wolverhampton.
Winner of the prestigious Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2021, he went winless last season but was not disgraced in either the 2000 Guineas or the St James’s Palace Stakes.
He never quite hit the expected heights afterwards but Andrew Balding was convinced the son of Dark Angel was returning to something like his best.
Reunited with Oisin Murphy, the now gelded Berkshire Shadow (5-2 favourite) travelled sweetly throughout and hit the front a long way from home.
Harry’s Bar and Angel Bleu gave chase in vain, but Berkshire Shadow held on by a length and a quarter, with Ralph Beckett’s Angel Bleu gaining second on the line.
“It was a very good race, Angel Bleu is a top-class horse, they’ve met before,” Murphy told Sky Sports Racing.
“It’s brilliant to get the horse back, it’s great to see him get a Listed win and hopefully he’ll build on it.
“He’s trained really well. He’s a Dark Angel so has plenty of size and scope and we always felt he wasn’t just a two-year-old. His run in the Guineas last year was fantastic so it’s great to get back to winning ways.
“I haven’t discussed anything with Andrew but perhaps he could have a run on Good Friday, the horse is in very good form. It’s great for the owner too.”
Owner Paul Spickett confirmed Good Friday and Finals Day would now be the plan, adding: “He’s been a super horse. He had a few niggles last year but Andrew said he was going well.
“He’s definitely got the ability. The Coventry would have done me in truth, if he never won another race, but he’s shown he’s still got the ability. Roll on Good Friday.
“There’s a lot of options for him now. They went quick today and when he came off the last bend he had it won.”
Alrehb defied a career-high mark to get the better of Unforgotten in the Spreadex Sports Lincoln Trial Handicap at Wolverhampton.
Trained by Kevin Philippart de Foy, the grey had won last time out at Southwell but had been raised 4lb for that half-length success.
The 5-1 shot looked up against it when John and Thady Gosden’s 11-4 favourite Unforgotten hit the front a furlong out in his bid for a fourth successive victory – but Alrehb had other ideas.
Delivered with a perfectly timed challenge by the red-hot Danny Muscutt, he went on to win by half a length, with last year’s winner Notre Belle Bette back in third.
Paddy Power cut the winner to 14-1 from 20s for the Lincoln at Doncaster on April 1.
Muscutt told Sky Sports Racing: “There’s always a lot of speed in this race and it was a bit messy the first 50 yards but I ended up in a lovely spot and found a really nice rhythm.
“He’s really stepped up his game since he’s gone up to the mile and Kevin has his horses in super form. He actually beat me at Southwell so it’s nice to get on him today.
“I don’t see any reason why he can’t win on turf, he’s quite a big horse to be going around these tight turns. His action suggests he should be fine on turf.
“I think it’s either the Lincoln or the Spring Cup next. I think the weather will decide where he goes.”
Dubai Station (17-2), having just his second start for Stuart Williams, won the Huge Daily Boosts Only BetUK Handicap.
Previously with Robert Cowell, Dubai Station had finished fifth over five furlongs on his stable debut and upped to six furlongs Rossa Ryan brough him home to win by half a length.
Ryan said: “I won a nice race on him at Chelmsford and he’s just gone to Stuart’s.
“The form of his last race stacked up well, he had a nice gallop to aim at and it worked out well. He’s a proper handicapper, he’ll always run well in them and the odd one will fall his way.”
Earlofthecotswolds was a brave winner for Tom Queally (Jonathan Hipkiss)
Earlofthecotswolds (6-1) gave himself the perfect preparation in defence of his All-Weather Marathon title on Finals Day at Newcastle when prevailing in a blanket finish for the SCU Selects Expert Tips At BetUK Conditions Stakes.
Tom Queally set out to make all but looked a sitting duck as Roberto Escobarr, Calling The Wind and Fleurman all closed in on him but he held them off.
It was Fleurman who got closest to Nigel Twiston-Davies’ charge, beaten a head, with a neck back to the odds-on favourite Roberto Escobarr.
“Earlofthecotswolds is a good horse with a lot of ability. They want him there for Finals Day and it is good that he got to win again,” said Queally.
“I ride a lot of Nigel’s on the Flat but I was suspended a couple of years ago and Liam Keniry took the ride. Admittedly, I am just getting used to the horse and probably did not go fast enough the last day, whereas today I did. I wanted to fill his lungs at crucial stages and that seemed to give him an edge at the end.
“Nigel only runs a few on the Flat but he has a magnificent strike rate. It would be great if they gave him a few more Flat horses.”
https://devplatform.ggzssd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2.70695558-scaled.jpg12802560DaveMhttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngDaveM2023-03-11 14:51:142023-03-11 18:40:07Alrehb streaks to Lincoln Trial victory
Unforgotten has the chance to extend his winning run when he goes for the Spreadex Sports Lincoln Trial Handicap at Wolverhampton.
Second in his first two outings, John and Thady Gosden’s son of Exceed And Excel got off the mark at at the third attempt at Newcastle in April 2021 but then had to sit out almost two years with a setback.
Returning from 659 days off the track he made up for lost time at Lingfield last month and then doubled up 14 days later at the same venue.
He now searches for the quick-fire hat-trick off a 4lb higher rating when he heads to Dunstall Park on Saturday, with a good run potentially setting up a crack at the Lincoln itself at Doncaster on the opening day of the Flat season on April 1.
“He obviously had a couple of issues and had plenty of time off, but he’s a horse we have always liked and have always known he has plenty of talent,” said joint-trainer Thady Gosden.
“He’s run a couple of nice races since coming back and hopefully he can perform to a similar level at the weekend.”
Last year’s winner Notre Belle Bete will attempt to defend his crown off an 8lb higher mark and Andrew Balding’s five-year-old is 3lb higher than when going close at Lingfield in his most recent outing.
“He won the race last year and has been pretty consistent and a decent operator on the all-weather,” said the Kingsclere handler.
“He was unlucky at Lingfield last time and hopefully this will give him the opportunity to be there or thereabouts.”
Outbreak got the better of Notre Belle Bete last time out and Charlie Johnston’s runner is 5lb higher for the rematch, while other notable runners include the consistent Alrehb and Mick Appleby’s track specialist War In Heaven, who has won four in a row at Dunstall Park since the start of the year.
Olly Murphy’s course and distance winner Fleurman will attempt to seal a three-timer in the SCU Selects Expert Tips At BetUK Conditions Stakes over at touch more than two miles.
The race serves as a Fast-Track Qualifier for All-Weather Championships Finals Day and the winner will earn a spot at Newcastle on Good Friday.
Earlofthecotswolds picked up that pot at Gosforth Park in 2022 and is one of five looking to book their ticket to the north east over Easter, with Roberto Escobarr another notable name amongst the quintet.
Brian Ellison’s Onesmoothoperator switches back from hurdles, with Richard Hughes’ Calling The Wind rounding off those taking part.
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Angel Bleu sets the standard in the Spreadex Sports Lady Wulfruna Stakes at Wolverhampton on Saturday.
Ralph Beckett’s four-year-old has won twice at Group One level as a juvenile and has won five of his 11 career appearances to date, finishing placed on another three occasions and only out of the money three times.
Two of those performances have come at Royal Ascot while the only other small blot on an otherwise decorated copybook was when fifth to Baaeed in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood ran on conditions unfavourable to the son of Dark Angel.
That was the last time Angel Bleu has been sighted on a racecourse and although initially underwhelmed by the performance, Jamie McCalmont – racing manager to owner Marc Chan – believes in hindsight, finishing within five lengths of Baaeed was perfectly respectable.
He said: “His last start was on ground that he doesn’t really like and to be beaten only four and a half lengths by Baaeed when he was definitely at the top of his game – we didn’t think much of it on the day, but when you look at it now, you think, ‘that’s not embarrassing’.
“He came out of that race with an injury and the only two bad races he has run have been at Royal Ascot – every other time he has fired.
“He just needs some match practice and hopefully he gets back on track on Saturday. It’s a long time since he has run and you just don’t know, but you go there with the horse in good shape and we’re looking forward to a good run and a big season with him.”
Angel Bleu’s biggest danger could be Andrew Balding’s Berkshire Shadow, who shaped nicely in both the 2000 Guineas and at Royal Ascot last year before his form tailed off in the heart of summer.
Berkshire Shadow ridden by jockey Oisin Murphy wins the Coventry Stakes during day one of Royal Ascot in 2021
The 2021 Coventry Stakes winner played second fiddle to Angel Bleu in their only ever meeting at this distance, the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood later that year, but his Kingsclere handler is hoping for a different outcome if his charge handles Dunstall Park.
“He ran really well in the Guineas and the St James’s Palace Stakes last season but lost his way a bit after that,” said Balding.
“He’s been gelded over the winter and we’ve been very happy with his work and hopefully he should have a good season.
“If he takes to Wolverhampton then he will be a player. He won a Coventry over six furlongs so I don’t think the trip should be a problem, but whether that is a problem on a sharp track we will find out.”
Dhabab was a handy performer for John and Thady Gosden at two and was sent off 4-1 favourite for the Coventry Berkshire Shadow won before running with credit in both the Superlative Stakes and Mill Reef later that year.
A setback meant he missed the majority of the 2022 campaign before returning to win at Lingfield in October and although well held up at a mile in Listed company last time out, he may put his speed to good use now returned to seven furlongs.
“He had a setback last year but has seemed in good form since,” said Thady Gosden.
“He obviously ran well at Lingfield when winning on his first run back last year and then stepped up to Listed level afterwards.
Last seen in the Dewhurst behind Native Trail over a year ago, Dhabab returns with a victory at @LingfieldPark under Rab Havlin, giving the Gosdens a treble on the card! pic.twitter.com/htAUY3wN7Z
“He has been training pleasingly at home and this looks the right race for him. He’s by No Nay Never and has always showed plenty of speed. Hopefully seven furlongs is an ideal trip for him.”
Irish handler Adrian McGuinness is no stranger to successful raids on the all-weather and he is double-handed with synthetics specialist Harry’s Bar and improving mare Hodd’s Girl.
He said: “There are not a lot of opportunities for Harry’s Bar in Ireland at this time of the year and he is a real all-weather specialist, so we have to travel.
“In fairness, Wolverhampton is not that far from me. It is three and a bit hours of driving plus a boat trip, so it is not too bad.
Ado McGuinness saddles two in the Lady Wulfruna Stakes at Wolverhampton on Saturday (PA)
“The horse is in great order and I think the seven furlongs around Wolverhampton will suit. I would not be sure on a straight seven but going seven around a bend should play to his strengths.
“We are trying to sneak a bit of black type with Hodd’s Girl. She has not stopped improving since she came to us and her work is very good. I would not be surprised if she was able to make the frame.”
Roger Varian’s defending champion Tinker Toy, Lingfield runner-up Vadream (Charlie Fellowes) and Jump The Gun (Iain Jardine) complete the line up.
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Mark and Billy Loughnane continued their excellent run of form as they made it seven and six Wolverhampton winners this week respectively at Dunstall Park on Thursday.
The father and son combination teamed up for a Monday double at the Midlands venue, while the 7lb claiming apprentice also enjoyed a winner for Sean Curran to make it a treble on the day.
Together the Loughnanes claimed another two successes at Wolverhampton on Wednesday and wasted no time in adding to their tally on Thursday’s card either, with 13-8 shot Algheed following up last week’s course victory in the opening It’s Time To Turn To talkSPORT Fillies’ Handicap.
Loughnane senior was keen to heap praise on his son, who has now ridden 12 winners since January 5.
Mark Loughnane at Wolverhampton (Simon Marper/PA)
“I keep saying it, but it’s just awesome – it’s the best feeling ever,” he told Sky Sports Racing.
“Billy rides so well and his confidence is good. I’ve blown him up all the time and I need to stop now because he’s blowing himself up! He can talk and he can ride away.
“The horses are in great form and it’s just great. It’s a proud house and we’ll just keep it level.”
The Worcestershire trainer swiftly doubled up with the Luke Morris-ridden Serenity Rose in the talkSPORT Download The App Restricted Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.
Serenity Rose and Luke Morris in full flight (Simon Marper/PA)
Second on her last two starts, the three-year-old went one better as the 5-6 favourite.
He went on to complete his hat-trick in the Spreadex Sports Get 40 In Bonuses Classified Stakes, with 8-1 shot Won Love pulling clear of his rivals in the hands of Cam Hardie.
Loughnane added: “His first run for me over six furlongs was good. He’d been running over five furlongs before that and he just wanted to blitz.
“He hasn’t got the best wind in the world and we just want him to relax. The key today was that they went flat out.
“I said to Cam just to keep hold of him and let him finish off and it worked a treat.”
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Billy Loughnane continued his red-hot form with a double at a frosty Wolverhampton on Wednesday – and his reward will be a trip to the warmth of Florida for a month to further hone his trade.
The apprentice rode a treble at Dunstall Park on Monday, including two winners for his father, Mark.
And the family partnership teamed up successfully with City Escape and Broughtons Flare to make it 12 winners for the young rider since the turn of the year.
City Escape (5-1) earned his third win at the track, with Loughnane showing plenty of confidence to collar Richard R H B in the extended nine-furlong BetUK over 40,000 Live Streamed Races Handicap.
And after 11-4 favourite Broughtons Flare backed up a course and distance win nine days previously in the extended mile of the Spreadex Sports Best Premier League Football Odds Handicap, getting the better of Hot Day by a short head, the trainer revealed his plans for the youngster.
“It’s happy days, but we’ll probably send him to America now,” he said.
“I’m not sure if it is the right thing to do, as it is very hard to stop momentum.
“He is going to a friend of mine in Miami, David Meah. He has 20 horses out there and a lad down the road has 50.
“He is not going out there to ride races, he is just going to learn pace. It is different gravy and he will come back better – and that’s what we want. I’m as proud as punch, though.”
Plumette completed a double for jockey Rossa Ryan (Simon Milham)
David Loughnane (not related) was also among the winners, as Plumette (11-1) came with a wet sail to mow down The Nail Gunner in the dying strides of the seven-furlong handicap under Rossa Ryan.
Though Ryan found gaps closing on him at every turn, he eventually found daylight as the mare went on to score following a 168-day break.
“I probably thought she was a pound or two too high, but she always runs well fresh,” said Loughnane.
Wolverhampton kept the show on the road after an inspection (Simon Milham/PA)
“We have kept her nice and fresh and she’s only 80 per cent fit. I knew she’d be doing her best work near the line.”
That made it a double for Ryan, who had earlier scored on the James Tate newcomer Majestic Warrior, a close relation to the useful Bright Approach, who justified favouritism in the extended nine-furlong maiden, scoring by a handy two and a quarter lengths, despite running green.
Ryan Sexton was among the winners on a frosty afternoon (Simon Milham/PA)
Ryan Sexton made plenty of waves last season with a half-century of winners and the 3lb claimer was on the mark for trainer Alan Brown when Crownthorpe (13-2) battled back to deny Fast Style in the extended mile handicap.
It was the former Richard Fahey-trained eight-year-old’s second win in as many starts since joining the North Yorkshire yard.
“Changing yards has done him the world of good,” said Sexton. “He’s a decent enough horse going forward. Alan’s horses are bouncing and they are all coming into form now.
“He normally gets dropped out and comes with a late run, but there was no pace on today, so we said we would get on with it. He seemed to be enjoying it. Every time I gave him a squeeze, he picked up. He just found another gear.”
Clifford Lee and Tony Carroll combined to score with Kensington Agent (Simon Milham/PA)
The Tony Carroll-trained Kensington Agent (4-1) was fresh from a 51-day break and dropped in trip, she duly gained a first all-weather success in the six-furlong handicap under Clifford Lee.
She had gone close at Kempton last time over seven furlongs, but this was the four-year-old’s first success since scoring at Bath in June 2021.
Lee said: “She ran well the last day when and has done everything well this time. She was back to six and I got first run.”
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Hollie Doyle is due to see a specialist in a bid to discover the extent of an arm injury she suffered in a fall at Wolverhampton on Monday.
The record-breaking jockey was riding the Archie Watson-trained 4-7 favourite The Perfect Crown in a seven-furlong claimer at Dunstall Park when her mount broke down on the home bend.
Doyle walked away from the incident, but will not take up her booked rides at Kempton this afternoon.
She said: “Dr Jerry Hill (chief medical adviser for the British Horseracing Authority) has got me in to see a specialist today to get my arm checked out, so I will know more after that.
“I can’t bend my arm at the minute and I’m trying to get into Oaksey House today hopefully to see if a physio can sort it out.”
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Scriptwriter will have a spin on the all-weather at Wolverhampton on Friday, with Milton Harris keen to get a run into his star juvenile before he continues his Triumph Hurdle build-up over obstacles.
Harris has seen the weather scupper his plans in the last month, with Scriptwriter having intended engagements at both Doncaster and Cheltenham wiped out by the recent cold snap and the ground going against him at Chepstow where he was declared to run in the Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle.
Now the son of Churchill, who is a best-priced 20-1 for Grade One glory at the Cheltenham Festival, will keep the cogs turning in the 12-furlong Scu Selects Expert Tips By BetUK Handicap at Dunstall Park – a run which will hopefully put him spot on for a return to hurdling at Prestbury Park on January 28.
“He’s been ready to run for a while,” said Harris. “Obviously we had him entered at Cheltenham and Doncaster when we had that bad weather spell and both were abandoned.
“The problem then was finding somewhere to run and Chepstow was never really on our agenda because it is a very dour test for three-year-olds. Even though the ground was probably not as bad as it could be, it still wasn’t nice ground.
“We took the view that this horse has a lot of speed and the plan is to go to Trials Day at Cheltenham and/or the Adonis.
“But he has been ready to run for a while and I felt if we don’t run at Wolverhampton, I need to give him a good piece of work at home here on Friday, so he may as well have a run round for a bit of prize-money at Wolverhampton.
“He’ll be competitive. He’s a good horse. I’m very happy with him and I think he’s improved since last time and we just need to get a run into him. The timing works very well and we’re roughly four weeks from the Cheltenham race.”
With many of the major UK Triumph Hurdle trials falling victim to the recent freeze, the Sutton Veny handler has been a keen observer of the action in Ireland over the past few weeks.
And although impressed by Willie Mullins’ Lossiemouth, who cemented her position as favourite for the juvenile highlight at the Festival with a bloodless victory at Leopardstown, Harris sees no reason why the Scriptwriter should not be in the Triumph Hurdle conversation at this stage.
“Clearly Willie’s horse sets a high standard, but there doesn’t seem the same strength in depth at this stage of the season as maybe there was last year. That’s not to say the favourite isn’t a very good horse, but last year we had the likes of Fil Dor, Vauban and Pied Piper.
“All of these horses are ex-Flat horses and Scriptwriter is the highest rated of all of them. He is rated 102 and has every right to be in the picture.
Scriptwriter ridden by jockey Paddy Brennan (white/red silks) on their way to winning the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham (David Davies/Jockey Club)
“I think he is a different type of horse to Knight Salute, who was a battle-hardened soul. Scriptwriter would have more natural class, so until we realise we’re not good enough, the Triumph Hurdle is our route.”
Harris has developed a real niche for handling juvenile hurdlers in recent years and has plenty of positive words for a trio of three-year-olds who did make the track over the Christmas period.
Highland Frolic and Postmark were both seen in action at Kempton with the former finishing a staying-on third at a big price, while at Fontwell on Boxing Day, Polyphonic recorded a taking 10-length victory.
Although yet to match the levels Scriptwriter has achieved, the Fred Winter on the opening day of the Festival could now come into the reckoning for the talented trio.
“Highland Frolic had a pretty major wind operation and I was delighted with him, bearing in mind halfway down the back he looked as if he would drop away,” continued Harris.
“I think because we’ve had his wind done, it was the first time he realised he could run through it and he’s ended up only being beaten seven lengths. There will be masses of improvement in him, he’s a nice horse.
“I shouldn’t have run Postmark, he’s a better horse than that – don’t give up on him. He just doesn’t want that ground and we took a chance. He’s a good ground horse and you’ll see him in some of the better races in the spring.
“Polyphonic is a different type. The faster they gom the better it’ll suit him and I’ve just got in the back of my mind he might just be OK for the Fred Winter when they go really quick.
“They would all be more than entitled to take their chance. I think (a rating of) 122 got in last year and they would all be in the equation at the moment.”
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