Cutting gradient applied aria without loosing the original grading with shape builder!

I wonder if anyone can help me as I am having a problem that I can not find any help for:

I am illustrating, vectoring & colouring giraffe. As the spots are according the giraffe in different perspectives, I have a layer as base file, move the spots where they need to be & then cut it with the shape builder tool according the outline (counter).

For the spots I have 3 different layers: 1) color 2) stroke 3) shadow to build some depth with gradient.

I can easily shape-builder cut 1 & 2, but ....

MY PROBLEM: if I cut 3) “the spots with the gradient”, the gradient adjusts with the cutting to the remaining area but I want to keep the original gradient & cut with the look of the full area gradient.

Does anyone know how to do this? Cut a gradient area but keeping the original gradient (so no gradient adjustment to the new are (cut area). 

Help is much appreciated, please ask back if I didn’t manage to explain well.

Thanks!! 

Art