Berkshire Rocco returned to winning ways with a gritty display in the BetUK Over 40,000 Live Streamed Races Conditions Stakes at Southwell this afternoon, a Fast-Track Qualifier for the £150,000 All-Weather Marathon Championships.
Andrew Balding’s six-year-old was rated 116 after going down by a neck in the 2020 G1 St Leger and scored in the Listed Noel Murless Stakes at Ascot on his final three-year-old outing.
The son of Sir Percy has been lightly raced since and returned from a year-long absence to contest two 12-furlong Listed races at Kempton Park in the autumn, latterly finishing fourth in the Wild Flower Stakes.
Stepping back up to staying distances, Berkshire Rocco moved sweetly into contention under Jason Watson before wrestling the lead from Earlofthecotswolds and Solent Gateway at the top of the home straight.
Rainbow Dreamer mounted a serious challenge approaching the final furlong but Berkshire Rocco found plenty to see off the 9/4 favourite by a length and a quarter, with a further eight lengths back to Earlofthecotswolds in third.
Balding said of the 3/1 winner: “Berkshire Rocco has had his problems but we have had a really good run with him since he ran a nice race at Kempton last time.
“This race was always the plan so that we could qualify him for Newcastle on Good Friday and, now that he has done that, we are looking forward to it.
“I don’t know if he will run again beforehand. He is going to have a busy summer, so I would think probably not, and we will freshen him up now.
“He travelled a bit kinder in the cheekpieces today, which helps, and he was a class horse back in the day having finished second in a St Leger. He is just a very decent horse.”
Watson said: “A lot of credit has to go to Andrew and the team at home. Berkshire Rocco has had a few problems over the years but he was a really high-class animal and it is nice to see him coming back to form gradually.
“A lot of respect has to be given to his owner Paul Spickett. The horse has had his issues and Paul has had to be patient, so I am pleased that he has been rewarded today.”