Kirsten Rausing of Lanwades Stud has bred a lot of good horses, but none better than dashing grey Frankel mare Alpinista, who capped a remarkable career with a half length win over Churchill colt Vadeni in the Group I Group I Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2400m) at Longchamp.
Trained by Sir Mark Prescott and ridden by Luke Morris, Alpinista has not been beaten since September of 2020 when second in a Group III race at Newmarket. Since then, she has gone on to win three Group I races in Germany last year and this year has powered through Group I wins in France and the UK before arriving at Longchamp.
Alpinista had the run of the race and was too strong for brave colt Vadeni with last year’s winner Torquator Tasso in third place.
“I'm lucky to get a good one at this stage of my career. You felt Alpinista was always going to win but it was just an enormous relief when she got there,” said Sir Mark Prescott.
“Things went to plan. It was very nice and smooth. I was concerned after we got all that rain whether she'd be quite as effective but she's a remarkable mare. She's so versatile and so tough. I couldn't believe how well she was going, coming into the straight. I was just trying to conserve her for as long as I could. When I needed her, she dug in very deep,” said Luke Morris.
Sir Mark Prescott was interviewed before the race and it’s well worth a watch.
With 10 wins from 15 starts, Alpinista is a half-sister to stakes-placed Alpenblume and is the best of two winners for stakes-winning Hernando mare Alwilda, a daughter of triple Group I winner Albonova.
Alwilda is a half-sister to Group III winner Algometer and stakes-winner All At Sea, the dam of this year’s Group I St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov. This female family has been carefully nurtured at Lanwades Stud over four generations delivering countless stakes-winners.
The Lanwades Stud bred horses have been seen to advantage in Australia and include Le Don de Vie (GB), second in Saturday’s Group I Metropolitan, also Zaaki (GB), Durston (GB) and Aleas (GB).
Other Group I races on the card are as follows:
Group I Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (1400m) for 2YO colts, won by Andre Fabre trained Belbek. He becomes the fourth Group I winner for Showcasing.
Group I Prix de l’Opera (2000m) for the fillieis and mares was won by long shot Place du Carrousel trained by Andre Fabre. She downed the race favourite Frankel filly Nashwa. She becomes the 17th Group I winner for Lope de Vega.
Group I Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (1000m) was won by two year-old filly The Platinum Queen, who beat the older sprinters to become the first Group I winner for young Exceed and Excel stallion Cotai Glory. Trained by Richard Fahey and ridden by Hollie Doyle.
Group I Prix de la Foret (1400m) was won by five year-old Kingman gelding Kinross, trained by Ralph Beckett and ridden by Franke Dettori. He becomes the fifth Group I winner for Kingman.
