Alpinista (GB) | Horse Racing Free Tips

Alpinista to Reach Summit Again

With ParisLongchamp's Arc weekend bonanza looming large on the horizon, European stakes activities gear down a notch for Sunday. However, the day doesn't lack for class and headlining the action is Cologne's €125,000 G1 59th Preis von Europa over 12 furlongs. Kirsten Rausing's homebred 4-year-old filly Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the lone international raider, is undefeated in three outings for Sir Mark Prescott this season and returns to Germany after annexing Hoppegarten's Aug. 8 G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin in her latest start. The reopposing Nerium (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), last term's G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern victrix Sunny Queen (Ger) (Camelot {GB}) and Kaspar (Ger) (Pivotal {GB}), runner-up in this contest last year, were left trailing in her wake last time.

Alpinista's chief threat comes from the younger generation, headed by this year's G1 Deutsches Derby hero and G1 Grosser Preis von Baden runner-up Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}). Darius Racing's Henk Grewe trainee had subsequent G2 Grand Prix de Deauville fourth Sea of Sands (Ger) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) back in 13th in the July 4 Hamburg Classic and is set to challenge for favouritism. Gestut Schlenderhan seeks a record-equalling fourth win and is represented by the sophomores Northern Ruler (Ger) (Ruler of the World {Ire}) and Walkaway (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}). Northern Ruler, an Andreas Wohler trainee, prevailed in Chantilly's June 20 Prix du Lys and ran third in last month's G3 Prix de Reux at Deauville. Walkaway, from the Markus Klug barn, finished fourth in Dusseldorf's Aug. 1 G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) and lines up here off a second in last month's G2 T Von Zastrow Stutenpreis at Baden-Baden.

Earlier on the Cologne card, six 2-year-olds head postward for the 7 1/2-furlong Listed Ursula Rosendahl-Preis Winterkonigin Trial. As the name suggests, it's a stepping to Baden-Baden's Oct. 17 G3 Preis der Winterkonigin, Germany's leading event for juvenile fillies, and Gestut Park Wiedingen's homebred Dishina (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) will bid to add lustre to her resume after posting an impressive 2 1/2-length tally in a six-furlong Hoppegarten maiden last month. Her rivals include Antoine Griezmann's consistent G3 Prix d'Aumale sixth Txope (Fr) (Siyouni {Ire}), from the Philippe Decouz stable, and El Sur Racing's Munich maiden winner and Michael Figge trainee La Estrellita (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), who ran second to subsequent G3 Prix Eclipse runner-up Best Flying (Fr) (Pedro the Great) in a €102,500 BBAG sales-related race at Baden-Baden last month.

Group race action is also in store in Ireland with the seven-furlong G3 Weld Park S. and G3 Raa Atoll Loughbrown S., over two miles, standing out on The Curragh's eight-race programme. Heavy rain is forecast to hit the Co. Kildare venue in the afternoon and a slew of withdrawals will follow if the track's condition, rated as good for now, is significantly altered beyond its present status. Amo Racing's Hello You (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is highly unlikely to make the journey from England and carry a five-pound penalty in the Park S. for juvenile fillies–having won Friday's G2 Unibet Rockfel S. at Newmarket–and skipping the engagement will leave 10 standing for the €50,000 heat.

Lindsay Laroche's four-race maiden Sunset Shiraz (Ire) (Time Test {GB}), a £100,000 Mount Coote Stud graduate of last year's Goffs Orby sale, seeks a first win of any kind and her form in defeat bears scrutiny. The Gavin Cromwell trainee progressed from reversals at Roscommon and Bellewstown to finish a two-length second to Agartha (Ire) (Caravaggio) in the Aug. 21 G2 Debutante S., over this course and distance, and followed up over the same strip with a third behind Discoveries (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and Agartha in the Sept. 12 G1 Moyglare Stud S. last time. Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), one of two Ballydoyle contenders, ran fourth in the Moyglare and was also behind Sunset Shiraz in the Debutante. Simon Munir and Isaac Souede's Listed Churchill S. victrix Seisai (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) comes back off a fourth in the Debutante and is accompanied by Joseph O'Brien stablemate Albula (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was second in the Aug. 27 G3 Flame of Tara S. tackling one mile here when last seen. Teme Valley Racing's Galway winner Tranquil Lady (Ire) (Australia {GB}) is the third of Joseph O'Brien's runners and is joined by maiden winners Trevaunance (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), a Moyglare Stud nominee from the Jessica Harrington stable, and Flaxman Stables Ireland's Cigamia (Karakontie {Jpn}), representing Willie McCreery.

The stamina-sapping Loughbrown has gone the way of Aidan O'Brien or Dermot Weld in five of the last eight renewals and the powerhouse stables are set to engage once more. Ballydoyle sends forth G1 Grand Prix de Paris fourth and G1 St Leger third The Mediterranean (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) while Rosewell House depends on dual G1 Irish St Leger heroine Search For A Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who ran sixth in this month's latest edition of that Classic.

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Frankel’s Alpinista In Command In Berlin

Coping with easy ground well enough to record a workmanlike success in the G2 Lancashire Oaks at Haydock last time July 3, Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) relished the slicker surface available at a sun-baked Hoppegarten to continue her owner-breeder Kirsten Rausing's annus mirabilis by garnering Sunday's G1 Longines 131st Grosser Preis von Berlin. Settled fourth early by Luke Morris as Godolphin's G2 Dubai City of Gold scorer Walton Street (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) cut out the running, the 19-5 shot was launched in early straight to swamp her neighbour passing the 300-metre marker. Pulling clear on the run to the line, the grey had an authoritative 2 3/4-length margin to spare over last year's winner and 9-5 favourite Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) there, with Walton Street ending up third a length away. “I was very pleased with her, she stays really, really well,” trainer Sir Mark Prescott said. “She wasn't going particularly well early on, turning in she was perhaps going less well than anything but for two but she stuck on really well and I was enormously pleased with her.”

Alpinista was emulating the achievement of her second dam Albanova (GB) (Alzao) in registering a top-level victory in Germany and she has two more to annexe to match the treble achieved by her predecessor in the 2004 G1 Deutschlandpreis, G1 Rheinland-Pokal and G1 Preis von Europa. She is certainly capable of that based on all known evidence since bursting onto the scene a year ago with a clear-cut success on firm going in Salisbury's 10-furlong Listed Upavon Fillies' S. a week prior to chasing home Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) when second in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks. Kept at this mile-and-a-half trip thereafter, she was a touch below-par when runner-up in the G3 Princess Royal S. at Newmarket on her 3-year-old finale in September and also when gaining a narrow verdict in the Listed Daisy Warwick Fillies' S. at Goodwood on her return Apr. 30. Even in the Lancashire Oaks, where the soft ground was against her, she was unconvincing dealing with the 3-year-old Lady Hayes (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) but this tour de force confirmed her effectiveness when conditions are right.

“Obviously Miss Rausing has a big say in it, but I think we have probably sort of earmarked the [G1] Preis Von Europa at Cologne on September 26 and we'll just see if something comes in between,” Prescott added. “She had Albanova with me a few years ago, Albanova won this and that race, so we might follow the same pattern because of course they are very closely related. It's just interesting that she should follow in the hoofprints. She stays really well this filly, she would go a bit further if we had to.”

Kirsten Rausing commented, “In numerical terms, it's my best season so far. That's 23 winners in my own colours to date and that is the same as my best ever year, which was 2011, but obviously that was by the end of the season. Out of the 23 wins, we have eight black-type wins this year: a group 1, two group 2s, a group 3 and four listeds. It's fantastic, all my ships are coming in, it happens every 25 years or so.”

Of Alpinista, she added, “We always thought she was pretty good. She's possibly improved from three to four, but the ability was always there from her two-year-old days. I think she's very typical of the family in that she is very brave. Her illustrious ancestress Albanova, her granddam, could do the same, and of course her own sister Alborada was particularly brave, only small, but very brave. Alpinista is longer–physically to look at she perhaps isn't as beautiful as some of them, but I'm absolutely not in any way denigrating her!”

“The main job is done now. It's a lot to ask of her to run in the Yorkshire Oaks again,” she concluded. “The journey to Berlin is long, it's two days in either direction, so I wouldn't mind letting her have a break, but she will tell us what she wants to do, I'm sure. She is not an easy mare to mate externally, being by Frankel, but of course I have just the right horse for her at home, Study of Man, but we won't decide about that until she's run her last race.”

Alpinista, who becomes Frankel's 18th group 1 winner, is the first foal out of Alwilda (GB) (Hernando {Fr}) who raced for these connections and gained her black-type success in this country in the Listed Silbernes Band over two mile and an extended three furlongs. She is one of four black-type winners out of the aforementioned Albanova including the G3 Dubai Duty Free Legacy Cup scorer Algometer (GB) (Archipenko) and the triple listed scorer All At Sea (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). The listed-winning third dam Alouette (GB) (Darshaan {GB}), who is best known for producing Albanova's full-sister Alborada (GB) who provided these connections with two renewals of the G1 Champion S., is kin to the G3 Doncaster Cup winner Alleluia (GB) Caerleon). She is the dam of the G1 Prix Royal-Oak heroine Allegretto (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the G2 Nassau S. winner Last Second (Ire) also by Alzao who in turn was responsible for the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulians hero and sire Aussie Rules. Alwilda's unraced 2-year-old filly by Kendargent (Fr) named Alpenblume (GB) is also in training with Prescott, while she is in foal to Iffraaj (GB).

Sunday, Hoppegarten, Germany
LONGINES 131ST GROSSER PREIS VON BERLIN-G1, €155,000, Hoppegarten, 8-8, 3yo/up, 12fT, 2:29.48, gd.
1–ALPINISTA (GB), 129, f, 4, 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)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Kirsten Rausing (GB); T-Sir Mark Prescott; J-Luke Morris. €100,000. Lifetime Record: GSW & G1SP-Eng, 10-5-2-0, €316,683. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Torquator Tasso (Ger), 132, c, 4, Adlerflug (Ger)–Tijuana (Ger), by Toylsome (GB). (€24,000 Ylg '18 BBAGO). O-Gestut Auenquelle; B-Paul H Vandeberg (GER); T-Marcel Weiss. €30,000.
3–Walton Street (GB), 132, g, 7, Cape Cross (Ire)–Brom Felinity (Aus), by Encosta de Lago (Aus). O-Godolphin; B-Darley (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. €15,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, 1, 2. Odds: 3.80, 1.80, 2.70.
Also Ran: Nerium (Ire), Imi (Ger), Sunny Queen (Ger), Aff Un Zo (Ger), Kaspar (Ger). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Starman Heads Maurice de Gheest Cast

Deauville stages the G1 LARC Prix Maurice de Gheest on Sunday, where David Ward's G1 July Cup hero Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) has to tackle testing ground as he bids to put his marker down on the sprinting division. Beaten only once when encountering soft going in Ascot's G1 Qipco British Champions Sprint S., the 4-year-old nevertheless carries significant stable confidence into the 6 1/2-furlong highlight.

“He's in cracking form and we're super excited, so fingers crossed,” trainer Ed Walker said. “Everything has gone very well since the July Cup. On his last piece of work, I think he's improving, dare I say it.”

Wesley Ward is already off the mark at the meeting with Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}) and it is another Stonestreet Stables representative who offers stern opposition to the British talisman in Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who was awarded the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot last time June 18.

“She's there and in good shape and Frankie (Dettori) is riding, so there are no worries,” said Ward. “I think there are a lot of showers around and that is going to suit Campanelle just fine.”

Marc Chan's 'TDN Rising Star' Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) stays further than this and showed last time when winning Goodwood's G2 Lennox July 27 that he handles the soft. That is not so much the case with Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), who was runner-up to Laws of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}) in the July 11 G1 Prix Jean Prat here.

“The better the ground, the better his chance,” trainer Joseph O'Brien commented. “We were thrilled to see Thunder Moon get back on track in the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville last time, as his first two runs of the season had been very disappointing. The drop in trip seemed to help him and he was only just touched off by Laws of Indices. This even shorter trip should be fine for him and the less testing ground will definitely be in his favour, as we considered taking him out of the Prix Jean Prat on account of the softening ground.”

There are only three home-trained runners and the pick seems to be Jean-Claude Seroul's winning machine Marianafoot (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}). Having won the seven-furlong G3 Prix du Palais-Royal and G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot at ParisLongchamp May 30 and July 1, the homebred switches to a straight track but trainer Jerome Reynier is happy it will not hinder his chances.

“He has won seven in a row and was tried over a straight course back in April at Chantilly and handled it well,” he explained. “Six and a half furlongs is a bit of a long trip for the sprinters, but he has won over seven and I think he's got a good chance. This is the logical next step and we're looking forward to it. It's a pretty good race and it will be good to try him against this sort of opposition. If we can step up onto the podium, we will be delighted.”

At The Curragh, the G1 the Keeneland Phoenix S. sees the June 26 G2 Railway S. first, second and fourth Go Bears Go (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}), Castle Star (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) and Dr Zempf (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) renew rivalry. The former, who was previously second in the G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot June 17, has to do it on softer ground this time but trainer David Loughnane is not overly concerned.

“With the weather forecast, the ground is probably going to be a bit softer than we would like it to be but he has won on soft ground previously so provided he turns up and gets out of bed on the right side, I think he should take all the beating,” he said. “On paper, we certainly look the one to beat but there's every chance something else in the race could have taken a big step forward since the Railway. We're going there confident, but we're well aware Group 1s are not easily won.”

Fozzy Stack is happy to re-engage with Craig Bernick and Antony Beck's May 22 G3 Marble Hill S. winner Castle Star and is hoping the predicted change in conditions might level the playing ground. “He obviously handled slower ground and it might upset one or two of the others, so I wouldn't mind a drop of rain,” he said. Peter Brant's 'TDN Rising Star' Dr Zempf was the most in need of the experience in the Railway and should have improved for the run, while Aidan O'Brien who has won this a record 16 times has the filly Prettiest (Dubawi {Ire}) as his main challenger but she needs to fare better than when fourth in the G3 Silver Flash S. at Leopardstown July 22.

The third Group 1 of the day comes at Hoppegarten, with the Longines 131st Grosser Preis von Berlin attracting Kirsten Rausing's July 3 G2 Lancashire Oaks winner Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Godolphin's Mar. 6 G2 Dubai City of Gold scorer Walton Street (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) as they encounter the July 4 G1 Deutsches Derby third Imi (Ger) (Tertullian). Back at Deauville, the G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 Hong Kong Vase winner Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) is the star act in the 12 1/2-furlong G3 OSAF Prix de Reux as he looks to get his 4-year-old campaign on track and extend Aidan O'Brien's stellar record in France in 2021.

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Alpinista Camp Eyeing German Group 1

Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}), whose granddam Albanova (GB) (Alzao) won the G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin in 2004, is under consideration for the same race at Hoppegarten on Aug. 8. Another potential target for the July 3 G2 Lancashire Oaks heroine is the G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry S. at Glorious Goodwood on July 31. The Kirsten Rausing silksbearer also captured the Apr. 30 Listed Daisy Warwick Fillies' S.

“She's fine,” said trainer Sir Mark Prescott. “She'll either go for the Lillie Langtry at Goodwood or she might go to Germany for the Group One there that Albanova won–who is, of course, her grandmother.”

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