Wathnan Racing secured their second victory of the week at Royal Ascot with Shareholder triumphing in the Norfolk Stakes. This race win also entitles Shareholder to take his place in the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar. 

Backed by Qatar, Wathnan Racing previously won on Wednesday with Leovanni in the Queen Mary. Their success continued with Shareholder, a Karl Burke-trained colt, who won at 12-1, keeping his unbeaten streak intact.

Shareholder, sired by Not This Time, was the preferred choice of Wathnan’s retained rider, James Doyle, over the shorter-priced Aesterius. Doyle’s faith in the colt was rewarded as he smoothly navigated the center of the track to win by a length, holding off Tropical Storm and the fast-finishing Arizona Blaze.

Doyle praised Burke’s training, saying: "He’s got a big engine. A big thank you to Karl Burke, who has prepared his horses superbly. Karl was confident, and his opinion matters. It’s great for Wathnan Racing, especially since the Emir [Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani] is excited about Royal Ascot. It’s wonderful to have a supporter like Wathnan investing in British racing. They deserve every success."

The race’s favorite, Whistlejacket, brother to high-class juvenile Little Big Bear, was favored to give Aidan O’Brien his fourth Norfolk win. However, despite a strong finish, Whistlejacket ended up fourth, a length and a quarter behind the winner.

Burke commented on Shareholder’s development: "The Irish horse had a big reputation. We’ve had Shareholder for only six weeks, and he’s made great progress since his maiden win at Beverley. He did everything wrong there but still won against a decent horse from Richard Fahey’s stable. I was confident we had a very good horse. He’s all about speed and will stay six furlongs. We’ll likely aim for the Commonwealth Cup next, but we’ll discuss with the owners. He doesn’t seem like a Guineas horse, but he’s still learning."

This victory marked Burke’s first win in the Group 2 contest. He also praised Doyle, saying: "James has been a top-class jockey for many years. He works well with you, listens, and understands the horses. He’s a pleasure to work with."