England: Shadow of Light scores narrow victory in Dewhurst

A day after the 2-year-old filly Desert Flower made easy work of the Group 1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket Racecourse in England, her stablemate Shadow of Light toughed out a narrow victory there Saturday in the Group 1 Dewhurst.

Shadow of Light, William Buick riding for Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby – same as with Desert Flower – passed Expanded and Ancient Truth in the last of seven furlongs to win the straight-course Dewhurst by a neck.

Leading 2-year-old The Lion in Winter was scratched from the Dewhurst on Saturday because of a bruised hoof and won’t start again until next season. In his stead, Expanded nearly won the Dewhurst for trainer Aidan O’Brien and jockey Ryan Moore, a neck behind Shadow of Light and a neck in front of another Appleby and Godolphin runner, Ancient Truth.

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The race was run over a soft course and turned into a slog, the winner requiring more than 1:26 to negotiate the course. Shadow of Light returned on just two weeks rest after capturing the six-furlong Group 1 Middle Park at Newmarket. He – and Ancient Truth – will be aimed at the 2000 Guineas in May, Appleby saying that Shadow of Light could be cut back to a spring in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot if he fails to stay one mile in the Guineas.

A homebred, Shadow of Light is by Lope de Vega out of Winters Moon, by New Approach. His half-brother Earthlight won the 2020 Middle Park to complete a five for five 2-year-old season and never went farther than seven furlongs during his 3-year-old campaign.

* Earlier Saturday, Appleby worked seven horses over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket, among them Notable Speech, possible favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Nations Pride, last seen winning the Arlington Million, also worked at Newmarket and will make his next start in Bahrain.

* City of Troy, winner of the Derby this year, will be retired to stud in Ireland following his start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, connections announced Saturday.

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