Alpinista (GB) | Horse Racing Free Tips

Emily Upjohn Out Of Yorkshire Oaks As Raclette Joins The Fray

The Andre Fabre-trained 'TDN Rising Star' Raclette (GB) (Frankel {GB}) who represents Juddmonte, has been added to the Aug. 18 G1 Yorkshire Oaks field, bringing the total number of entries at this stage to 12. A homebred, the daughter of Grade I winner Emollient (Empire Maker) won the G2 Prix de Malleret on Bastille Day last out. John and Thady Gosden's Oaks runner-up Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is the latest defection.

Raclette will face the accomplished Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who is riding a six-race winning streak–the last four at Group 1 level–for breeder Kirsten Rausing and trainer Sir Mark Prescott. The grey mare most recently captured the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on July 3.

“I see there is a little bit of rain forecast in Yorkshire but the fast ground wouldn't inconvenience me, so I would prefer it if it didn't rain,” said Prescott.

“She did win her German Group 1s with plenty of cut in the ground so she's very versatile. What doesn't suit the others will suit me.

“It's a real privilege to be allowed to train her as a 5-year-old, but Miss Rausing is in a very unusual position that she has so many of the family, that while one of them is doing so well on the racecourse, she can afford to keep racing.

“She is adding value to the other horse whereas most people couldn't do that.”

Rausing could also have another runner in her colours in the Knavesmire race, the Ralph Beckett-trained Albaflora (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}).

Some of the other possibles at this stage include G1 Irish Oaks heroine Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for Jessica Harrington, G1 Pretty Polly S. victress La Petite Coco (Ire) (Ruler Of The World {Ire}) from the Paddy Twomey yard, and three from Ballydoyle led by G1 Oaks scorer Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

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Frankel’s Alpinista Takes The Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud

Kirsten Rausing's Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was making her comeback in Sunday's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, but there was no sign of rustiness as she overwhelmed a deep field for a fourth consecutive top-level victory. Now unbeaten in her last six starts including the G2 Lancashire Oaks, G1 Grosser Preis Von Berlin, G1 Preis Von Europa and G1 Grosser Preis Von Bayern, the Sir Mark Prescott-trained grey was held up early travelling notably strongly for Luke Morris in rear of mid-division. Unleashed wide at the top of the straight, the 8-1 shot rolled by the progressive Fabre trainee Baratti (GB) (Frankel {GB}) a furlong from home en route to a 1 1/4-length success, with Bubble Gift (Fr) (Nathaniel {Ire}) a neck away in third. There are worrying signs for connections of the 4-5 favourite Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), as he weakened in early straight and beat only one rival.

“She's taken a long time to come to hand this year, which is why she missed the Coronation Cup and I feel she's only just starting to come now, so I hope she can improve for the run and I think all roads will lead to the Arc,” Morris said. “We usually ride her very handy, but there looked to be a lot of pace in the race so on her first run of the year we said we'd take a chance and drop her in a bit more and see how she went. The gap came lovely and she produced a very good turn of foot. She beat Torquator Tasso last year and it was the decision between going to Germany for what looked a very easy group one or going for the Arc and we chose the easy option–this year we may aim a bit higher.”

Alpinista is arguably the best that Prescott has trained since her dual G1 Champion S.-winning relative Alborada (GB) (Alzao), but she has taken time to reach full maturity and fulfil her potential. Since registering her first black-type win in Salisbury's Listed Upavon Fillies' S. in August 2020, the only rivals to have taken her measure have been Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks shortly after and Antonia De Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in the G3 Princess Royal S. at Newmarket the following month. “It was a faultless performance wasn't it really? She wouldn't come in her coat in the Spring and wasn't at a stage where she could run,” her trainer said. “She's just come right now and to be honest I thought the race might come 10 days too soon for her, but it's worked out very well. You would hope she could improve a tiny bit more.”

“We'll see what Miss Rausing feels, but I would think one run before the Arc, probably, and conventionally you'd go for the Prix Vermeille–that would be the obvious race,” Prescott added. “I don't see any reason to be a clever Dick, I think you just go with the obvious and hope she's good enough to do it.” Juddmonte's Barry Mahon said of Baratti, “He has run a great race. Andre Fabre has always said he is a good horse and he has had a few setbacks, including one before the Hardwicke but we now have a good horse for the second half of the season.”

Alpinista is the first foal out of the listed scorer Alwilda (GB) (Hernando {Fr}), who is one of four black-type winners out of the family's initial triple German group 1 winner Albanova (GB) (Alzao). The others are the group 3 scorer Algometer (GB) (Archipenko), the listed scorer and group 3-placed Alignak (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) and the triple French listed winner All At Sea (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) who is in turn the dam of this year's G2 Queen's Vase winner Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).

The third dam is the Listed Oyster S. winner Alouette (GB) (Darshaan {GB}), producer of the aforementioned Alborada who is kin to the G3 Doncaster Cup winner Alleluia (GB) (Caerleon) who in turn produced the G1 Prix Royal-Oak heroine Allegretto (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Alouette is also a half to the G2 Nassau S. winner Last Second (Ire) by Albanova and Alborada's sire Alzao, who boasts the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulians-winning sire Aussie Rules (Danehill) among her progeny list. Also related to last year's G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. and G1 Yorkshire Oaks runner-up Albaflora (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), Alwilda has the dual-winning 3-year-old filly Alpenblume (GB) (Kendargent {Fr}) and a filly foal by Iffraaj {GB).

Sunday, Saint-Cloud, France
GRAND PRIX DE SAINT-CLOUD-G1, €400,000, Saint-Cloud, 7-3, 4yo/up, 12fT, 2:26.15, g/s.
1–ALPINISTA (GB), 125, m, 5, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Alwilda (GB) (SW-Ger & SP-Eng), by Hernando (Fr)
2nd Dam: Albanova (GB), by Alzao
3rd Dam: Alouette (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
O/B-Kirsten Rausing (GB); T-Sir Mark Prescott; J-Luke Morris. €228,560. Lifetime Record: Ch. Older Mare-Eng at 11-14f, Ch. Older Mare-Ger at 11-14f, MG1SW-Ger, GSW & G1SP-Eng, 13-8-2-0, €709,197. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Baratti (GB), 128, c, 4, Frankel (GB)–Binche, by Woodman.
1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Andre Fabre. €91,440.
3–Bubble Gift (Fr), 126, c, 4, Nathaniel (Ire)–Bubble Back (Fr), by Grand Lodge.
1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Zak Bloodstock; B-A Hakam (FR); T-Mikel Delzangles. €45,720.
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, 3. Odds: 7.90, 10.00, 25.00.
Also Ran: Sweet Lady (Fr), Lone Eagle (Ire), High Definition (Ire), Mare Australis (Ire), Hurricane Lane (Ire), Third Realm (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Hurricane Alert At Saint-Cloud

It can't always be said that the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud is the strongest of the Group 1 races in Europe, but Sunday's line-up stands up to inspection with Godolphin's Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) looking to build on his respectable if uninspiring return effort in the G2 Hardwicke S. While excuses can be made on account of the prevalent fast ground at Royal Ascot and the fact that he would have needed his seasonal bow, there is always a concern when such a luminary fails to spark during such an important phase of his career. His achievements at three are undeniably impressive, with few colts able to pull off a rare treble of G1 Irish Derby, G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 St Leger with such dash and authority and his parting shot of running third in the Arc only served to enhance his reputation.

“I'll be honest, I was pleased with his [Hardwicke] run,” Charlie Appleby said. “Pre-race I was confident that we'd got his level of fitness up there, but turning four he's done very well physically and he's certainly tightened up for the run, that's for sure. What we've seen since the race is a sharper, tighter model. Some might ask if 15 days is enough time between runs, but 15 days was always our plan–the Hardwicke and then the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and what we saw last year was he thrives on his races. He went English Derby, Irish Derby and then Grand Prix de Paris last year and that was probably his most impressive victory, so he thrives on his racing and we're very happy.”

Welcome Back Alpinista

Whereas Hurricane Lane has had the sharpener in 2022, Kirsten Rausing's Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has been denied that and she is in a lot deeper than she was on this weekend last year when marking her seasonal debut with a workmanlike success in the G2 Lancashire Oaks. Whatever her state of readiness, the Sir Mark Prescott-trained grey is a welcome sight coming back off her remarkable treble of G1 Grosser Preis Von Berlin, G1 Preis Von Europa and G1 Grosser Preis Von Bayern. Given that the former of those races was taken at the expense of Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), it is clear that we are looking at a major talent among Europe's older horses.

Will The Eagle Land?

Like Hurricane Lane, Ballylinch Stud and Aquis Farm's Lone Eagle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was a touch flat on his return when a well-beaten third to a resurgent Third Realm (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in Goodwood's Listed Tapster S. May 21, but he probably ran no worse than he had on his 2021 return when fourth behind Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}), Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G3 Sandown Classic Trial. On his next start, he had made a significant leap to hand Yibir five pounds and a four-length beating in the Listed Cocked Hat S. on soft before making Hurricane Lane pull out all the stops in the Irish Derby.

Freddie Meade said, “It was very important to get that run into him, as he showed last year. I think we're in a good spot with him and I think he's earned his place. He had some of the best form in the book last year and he's done well.”

Deutsches Delight

There is a fascinating 153rd edition of the G1 IDEE Deutsches Derby at Hamburg, where the key protagonists appear to be Darius Racing's May 22 G2 Derby Italiano winner Ardakan (GB) (Reliable Man {GB}), Gestut Rottgen's impressive June 5 G3 Diana Trial scorer Wagnis (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), Gestut Park Wiedingen's June 6 G2 Union-Rennen winner Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Gestut Schlenderhan's So Moonstruck (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), who was a head second in that 11-furlong Cologne contest. With seven runners all with solid prospects, the real story of the race is the dominance of Markus Klug with Frankie Dettori, Hollie Doyle and Richard Kingscote among the jockey bookings. Of the 20 in the line-up, there are only seven stables represented with Henk Grewe and Andreas Wohler also saddling four apiece and the latter handler has a bright prospect in Gestut Paschberg's May 28 G3 Baden-Baden Derby-Trial winner Queroyal (Ger) who could make it an even bigger weekend for his sire Churchill (Ire). Whatever the outcome, the lessons of recent years and especially of the 2021 Arc mean that eyes need to be peeled on Sunday afternoon.

Click here for the group fields.

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Observations: Eldar Eldarov Returns At Newcastle

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Insights features debuting Tabarin (Ire) (Frankel ({GB}) and 'Rising Star' Eldar Eldarov (Dubawi {Ire}).

2.25 Saint-Cloud, Debuntates, €27,000, 3yo, c/g, 12fT
TABARIN (IRE) (Frankel {GB}) debuts for the Niarchos Family and Francis-Henri Graffard and is a son of the G3 Prix Vanteaux winner and G1 Prix Saint-Alary runner-up and G1 Prix Vermeille third Mare Nostrum (GB) (Caerleon). A half-brother to the operation's GI Canadian International and G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero Erupt (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the March-foaled bay encounters a dozen rivals.

6.00 Newcastle, Novice, £7,300, 3yo/up, 10f 42y (AWT)
ELDAR ELDAROV (Dubawi {Ire}) makes his eagerly-awaited second start, having achieved TDN Rising Star status with his impressive debut win at Nottingham in October. KHK Racing's £480,000 Arqana Breeze Up sensation from the family of Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and many other Kirsten Rausing celebrities holds entries in the G2 King Edward VII S. and Irish Derby and Roger Varian will know more about how ambitious those targets are after this comeback.

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