Coventry Stakes
 QuinnBet
Group 2, Ascot 15:05
£100,000 added,
2yo only,
6f, Class 1    
Tuesday 15th June 2021

1 Berkshire Shadow 11/1
2 Eldrickjones 66/1
3 Vintage Clarets 25/1
4 Masseto 15/2
17 ran Distances: 1¼l, nk, nk
Time: 1m 13.55s (slow by 0.65s)

Berkshire Shadow was a winner in Berkshire itself when finishing best of all for trainer Andrew Balding.
 
The six-furlong contest for two-year-olds looked up for grabs at the furlong pole, but the Oisin Murphy-ridden winner came with a storming run up the stands’ side rail to win by a length and a quarter at odds of 11/1. 
 
In a race where those at the top of the market disappointed, outsiders Eldrickjones and Vintage Clarets filled the places, with a neck between them. 
 
Winning owner Paul Spickett said: “I am feeling ecstatic! This is a childhood dream come true. I can’t thank everyone enough - it’s been a magical day and I wouldn’t miss it for the world. 
 
“We haven’t owned horses for very long - this is our seventh year - so we started off with Berkshire Beauty and Berkshire Honey, whom I still own as mares. I’ve just got a passion for it, big time.
 
“I had a very good mentor in Andrew’s mother [Lady Emma Balding] who told me in no uncertain terms, do not spend a lot of money. I took that on board from Emma and we started off. I should have come back with one but I got two, to my wife’s horror. 
 
“But the good thing about today is that this horse was bought for my wife. She loves greys and wanted to get back into racing after two years. It couldn’t be a better day. Back home we have all the family, the work guys, Charles - my unofficial racing manager, my Dad, and thank you to everyone at Kingsclere; they've been amazing.
 
“The pre-race vibes were we’re going to win! But there were a lot of good horses. We wanted to run again after Newbury but we couldn’t, and Andrew said let’s go straight to Ascot. Win or lose, and we won. It’s very special.”

Trainers Quotes

Murphy said: “This is a special horse. He was bought inexpensively by Andrew and his mother, Mrs. B. He is a star. That was an incredible performance on his second start.
 
“My hand was forced to little from the draw [17]. For a furlong-and-a-half I pondered coming back because I wasn't sure I wanted to follow Paul Hanagan and Adam Kirby, but eventually I thought he's not going to settle out there, so just bide my time.
 
“To look at, he looks big and immature. It's only his second career start, he's a big imposing horse who is going to improve a lot with time. He has done incredibly well. What a massive result for Kingsclere.
 
“It's a special story - his owner has only owned horses for maybe five or six years, and to have a Royal Ascot winner is incredible.”
 
Danny Tudhope said of the runner-up: “Eldrickjones is a horse that we liked a lot at home, so this performance was no surprise. I'm delighted with him, he's still a baby, is raw and green. There's still lots of improvement in him."
 
The first US-trained runner of the week, Kaufymaker, finished eighth under John Velazquez. He said: "She broke lovely and I was happy with my position, but over that trip, she just found too many quicker than her." 

Coventry Stakes (Group 2)
£100,000 added, 2yo only, 6f, Class 1
17 ran
Going: Good to Firm, Good in places

POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (17)     Berkshire Shadow 2 9-1 Andrew Balding Oisin Murphy 11/1
2 (2) 1¼ Eldrickjones 2 9-1 Roger Fell Daniel Tudhope 66/1
3 (16) nk Vintage Clarets 2 9-1 Richard Fahey Paul Hanagan 25/1
4 (12) nk Masseto 2 9-1 Donnacha O'Brien Gavin Ryan 15/2
5 (1) nk Ebro River 2 9-1 Hugo Palmer James Doyle 12/1
6 (11) hd Dhabab 2 9-1 John & Thady Gosden Robert Havlin 4/1F
7 (13) 1 Caturra 2 9-1 Clive Cox Adam Kirby 22/1
8 (3) 1 Kaufymaker 2 8-12 Wesley A Ward John R Velazquez 8/1
9 (4) ¾ The Acropolis 2 9-1 A P O'Brien Ryan Moore 6/1
10 (5) shd Tolstoy 2 9-1 John & Thady Gosden Frankie Dettori 11/1
11 (15) nk Dashing Rat 2 9-1 William Stone Marco Ghiani 200/1
12 (6) nse The Organiser 2 9-1 Joseph Tuite David Egan 20/1
13 (9) nse Angel Bleu 2 9-1 Ralph Beckett Hector Crouch 28/1
14 (12) 1¾ The Gatekeeper 2 9-1 Mark Johnston Ben Curtis 125/1
15 (7) 1¾ Gisburn 2 9-1 Richard Hannon Pat Dobbs 6/1
9 (8) 1½ Golden War 2 9-1 Charles Hills Jamie Spencer 80/1
11 (14) ½ Secret Strength 2 9-1 Richard Hannon Tom Marquand 50/1

SureWIn

COVENTRY STAKES
Previous results

YEAR WINNER TRAINER JOCKEY OWNER AGE/WEIGHT SP

2020 NANDO PARRADO Clive Cox Adam Kirby Marie McCartan 2-9-01 150/1
2019 LORD GLITTERS Aidan O’Brien IRE Ryan Moore Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith 2-9-01 15/8F
2018 CALYX John Gosden Frankie Dettori Khalid Abdullah 2-9-01 2/1F
2017 RAJASINGHE Richard Spencer Stevie Donohoe Rebel Racing 2-9-01 11/1
2016 CARAVAGGIO Aidan O’Brien Ryan Moore Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith 2-9-01 13/8F
2015 BURATINO Mark Johnston William Buick Godolphin 2-9-01 6/1
2014 THE WOW SIGNAL John Quinn Frankie Dettori Al Shaqab Racing 2-9-01 5/1JF
2013 WAR COMMAND Aidan O’Brien IRE J A Heffernan J Allen/Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith 2-9-01 20/1
2012 DAWN APPROACH Jim Bolger IRE Kevin Manning Jackie Bolger/J P Spain 2-9-01 7/2
2011 POWER Aidan O’Brien IRE Ryan Moore Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier 2-9-01 4/1F
2010 STRONG SUIT Richard Hannon Richard Hughes Julie Wood 2-9-01 15/8F
2009 CANFORD CLIFFS Richard Hannon Richard Hughes The Heffer Syndicate 2-9-01 7/4F
2008 ART CONNOISSEUR Michael Bell Jamie Spencer Richard Green 2-9-01 8/1
2007 HENRYTHENAVIGATOR Aidan O’Brien IRE Michael Kinane Sue Magnier 2-9-01 11/4F
2006 HELLVELYN Bryan Smart Ted Durcan Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed 2-9-01 4/1JF
2005 RED CLUBS Barry Hills Michael Hills Ronnie Arculli 2-8-12 11/2
2004 ICEMAN John Gosden Kieren Fallon Cheveley Park Stud 2-8-12 5/1JF
2003 THREE VALLEYS Roger Charlton Richard Hughes Khalid Abdullah 2-8-12 7/1
2002 STATUE OF LIBERTY Aidan O’Brien IRE Michael Kinane Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier 2-8-12 5/2F
2001 LANDSEER Aidan O’Brien IRE Jamie Spencer Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier 2-8-12 20/1
2000 CD EUROPE Mick Channon Steve Drowne Circular Distributors Ltd 2-8-12 8/1
1999 FASLIYEV Aidan O’Brien IRE Michael Kinane Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier 2-8-12 15/8F
1998 RED SEA Paul Cole Richard Quinn Fahd Salman 2-8-12 6/1
1997 HARBOUR MASTER Aidan O’Brien IRE Christy Roche Sue Magnier 2-8-12 16/1
1996VERGLAS Kevin Prendergast IRE Willie Supple Chryss O'Reilly 2 8-12 9/1
1995 ROYAL APPLAUSE Barry Hills Walter Swinburn Maktoum Al Maktoum 2 8-12 13/2
1994 SRI PEKAN Paul Cole Richard Quinn Sultan Ahmad Shah 2 8-13 6/1
1993 STONEHATCH Peter Chapple-Hyam John Reid Robert Sangster 2 8-13 EvensF
1992 PETARDIA Geoff Wragg Walter Swinburn Mollers Racing 2 8-13 5/1CF
1991 DILUM Paul Cole Alan Munro Fahd Salman 2 8-13 11/10 F
1990 MAC'S IMP Bill O'Gorman Alan Munro Tamdown Ltd 2 8-13 2/1F
1989 ROCK CITY Richard Hannon Willie Carson A F Budge (Equine) Ltd 2 8-13 9/1
1988 HIGH ESTATE Henry Cecil Steve Cauthen Jim Joel 2 8-13 10/11 F
1987 ALWAYS FAIR Michael Stoute Walter Swinburn Maktoum Al Maktoum 2 8-13 9/2
1986 CUTTING BLADE Lester Piggott Cash Asmussen Mahmoud Fustok 2 8-11 11/1
1985 SURE BLADE Barry Hills Brent Thomson Sheikh Mohammed 2 8-11 3/1F
1984 PRIMO DOMINIE Brian Swift John Reid Peter Wetzel 2 8-11 4/7F
1983 CHIEF SINGER Ron Sheather Ray Cochrane Jeff Smith 2 8-11 20/1
1982 HORAGE Matt McCormack Pat Eddery Ahmed Rachid 2 8-11 85/40
1981 RED SUNSET Guy Harwood Greville Starkey Paddy Burns 2 8-11 14/1
1980 RECITATION Guy Harwood Greville Starkey Anthony Bodie 2 8-11 11/1
1979 VARINGO Ryan Price Brian Taylor PTP Plant Hire Ltd 2 8-11 11/8F
1978 LAKE CITY Ryan Price Brian Taylor Harry Demetriou 2 8-11 7/1
1977 SOLINUS Vincent O'Brien IRE Lester Piggott Daniel Schwartz 2 8-11 7/4F
1976 CAWSTON'S CLOWN Neil Adam Taffy Thomas John Murrell 2 8-11 11/2