G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks | Horse Racing Free Tips

Frankel’s Alpinista Secures Fifth Group 1 On The Knavesmire

Kirsten Rausing's homebred 5-year-old mare Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}), unbeaten through five tests last term, disposed of esteemed rivals in last month's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on seasonal return and maintained her winning streak with a decisive success as the 7-4 favourite in a stellar edition of Thursday's G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks on the Knavesmire, a “Win And You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf in November. Successful in the G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin, G1 Preis von Europa and G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern last year, she became Sir Mark Prescott's first domestic Group 1 winner since Marsha (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) annexed 2017's G1 Nunthorpe S. at this meeting. The grey's second dam Albanova (GB) (Alzao) rattled off the same trio of German Group 1 triumphs in 2004 and she embellished her record with a fifth straight elite-level triumph in the 12-furlong test. Trainer Sir Mark Prescott had voiced pace concerns beforehand, going so far as to say she may have to make her own running, but his worries were assuaged as G1 Pretty Polly S. victrix La Petite Coco (Ire) (Ruler Of The World {Ire}) and G1 Irish Oaks heroine Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) disputed a solid tempo up front with Alpinista positioned in behind in a stalking third. Urged closer once into the long home straight, she went to the front approaching the quarter-mile marker and was driven out in the closing stages as Epsom's G1 Oaks winner Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) gave vain chase. At the line, Alpinista held a one-length advantage with La Petite Coco staying on well once headed to finish 1 3/4 lengths further adrift in third.

“They are all great, but Group 1 races are hard to come by and, for a smallish stable, every five or six years you get good ones come along and it's tremendous when it happens,” said Prescott. “We trained this one's dam, granddam and great granddam. It's been a marvellous family. The original intention was to go [G1] Coronation Cup and [G1] King George [VI & Queen Elizabeth S.], but she wouldn't come in her coat in time for the Coronation, so it then became Saint-Cloud and then either here or the [G1 Prix] Vermeille. Miss Rausing was very keen to come here as she hadn't won a Group 1 in England. She has really done it all now, she's won Group 1s in England, France and Germany.”

Looking ahead, the veteran Heath House conditioner added, “The [G1 Prix de l'] Arc [de Triomphe] has always been her aim. Last year we rather patted ourselves on the back for being so clever winning three Group 1s in Germany, then, when the one behind us [Torquator Tasso] came and won the Arc, we rather felt we might not have been as clever as we thought we were. When she stayed in training this year that was always the aim.”

Winning jockey Luke Morris is also relishing the prospect of going to ParisLongchamp on the first Sunday in October. “Since she has been on better ground this year she has looked like a filly with more class so we can dream about Paris now,” he said. “Generally the Yorkshire Oaks can look a little top heavy with a superstar of Aidan's, but I thought it had a lot of depth and she had to give nine pounds away to the second. I thought it was a great performance and it's great she's been able to show in Britain what she is capable of. It's a massive effort from the teams at Heath House and Lanwades Stud. I'm just the lucky one that gets to sit on her a couple of times a year.”

Aidan O'Brien was not too downcast, despite Tuesday's defeat, and looked ahead to future targets after the G1 Oaks heroine failed to reel in the winner. “She will go on Irish Champions weekend somewhere, whether she will stay here [in England], or whether she will go to Ireland or whether she will go to France or whatever. Hopefully she will go somewhere. We were happy enough with that. It was her first run back, she ran very well and I don't think she was losing any ground going to the line. She has come back to form after [finishing fourth in the G1 Irish Derby at] the Curragh. She was a bit hot before the race, but I didn't mind that as I was hot myself. She is in the mix for the Arc and other races.”

Team Valor's La Petite Coco would have preferred more juice in the ground, but nonetheless produced a display of star quality in third. “She is not the type to set the pace, but nobody else wanted to so that was somewhat less than ideal,” admitted Barry Irwin. “I think the difference between her finishing right there with the first two and where she did finish was somewhat quality, because they are two fantastic horses for sure, but our filly needs the soft. The ground had a good cover on top, but underneath it was firm and she can't lay her body down like that. On soft turf, not that the others would not have run as well, I think we would have been able to hang with them better if the ground was softer. The fact that the race turned into something of a sprint, and that she wasn't going to let herself down as well, played against her somewhat.” It's unlikely connections will be tempted into a rematch with Alpinista in Paris. “Paddy [Twomey] is talking about the [G1] Prix de l'Opera or the [G1] Champion S. [at Ascot]. That is what he is looking at, we need to wait for the ground to soften and we are going to forget about the Arc this year. When she won at the Curragh it was like a miracle, where it rained just before the race and she got her ground. Even though she wasn't really totally fit, she was able to win anyway because of the ground.”

Alpinista, kin to a 2-year-old colt by Oasis Dream (GB) and a weanling filly by Iffraaj (GB), is the first of four foals and one of two winners produced by a stakes-winning half-sister to four black-type performers out of the aforementioned Albanova (GB) (Alzao). The quartet includes G3 Legacy Cup victor Algometer (GB) (Archipenko), stakes-winning G3 Geoffrey Freer S. third Alignak (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) and multiple stakes scorer All At Sea (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Albanova is one of four black-type performers thrown by G1 Moyglare Stud S. third Alouette (GB) (Darshaan {GB}), whose descendants also include dual G1 Champion S. heroine Alborada (GB) (Alzao) and stakes-winning G1 Epsom Derby runner-up Dragon Dancer (GB) (Sadler's Wells). Alouette is a half-sister to G3 Doncaster Cup vixtrix Alleluia (GB) Caerleon), who produced G1 Prix Royal-Oak heroine Allegretto (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and G2 Nassau S. winner Last Second (Ire) (Alzao), with the latter being the dam of G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains-winning sire Aussie Rules (Danehill).

Thursday, York, Britain
DARLEY YORKSHIRE OAKS-G1, £533,750, York, 8-18, 3yo/up, f, 11f 188yT, 2:29.92, gd.
1–ALPINISTA (GB), 135, 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. £302,690. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Ger & G1SW-Fr, 14-9-2-0, $1,165,186. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tuesday (Ire), 126, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Lillie Langtry (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £114,756.
3–La Petite Coco (Ire), 135, f, 4, Ruler Of The World (Ire)–La Petite Virginia (Ger), by Konigstiger (Ger). O-Team Valor International LLC; B-Mr B Schone (IRE); T-Paddy Twomey. £57,432.
Margins: 1, 1 3/4, 2HF. Odds: 1.75, 3.50, 4.00.
Also Ran: Lilac Road (Ire), Magical Lagoon (Ire), Raclette (GB), Poptronic (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

Yorkshire Oaks (G1)
2380m, 533.750 GBP, for 3yo+ mares
York

Alpinista (GB)
(5M Frankel – Alwilda, by Hernando)
J :Luke Morris
T :Mark Sir Prescott
O :Miss K Rausing
Tuesday (Galileo)
La Petite Coco (Ruler Of The World)pic.twitter.com/DtE4SaY7Cy

— (@WorldRacing1) August 18, 2022

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Snowfall Dominant In The Yorkshire Oaks

Another group 1, another wide-margin success for the rampant Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) who emulated User Friendly (GB) (Slip Anchor {GB}), Ramruma (Diesis {GB}), Alexandrova (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in adding Thursday's Darley Yorkshire Oaks to her Epsom and Irish Oaks victories. Anchored with only Albaflora (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) behind as her stable's La Joconde (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) set an honest tempo, the 8-15 favourite tracked Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) into the straight but was left in front as her chief rival paid for her free-running tendency. On her own for the last 2 1/2 furlongs, Ballydoyle's sixth winner of this prestige event hit the line with four lengths to spare over Albaflora, with La Joconde sticking on for third, 2 3/4 lengths away. Wonderful Tonight was ultimately disappointing in fourth, beaten 8 1/2 lengths in total. “It felt like a truly-run race and as soon as I moved on her she was there very quickly,” jockey Ryan Moore commented. “The race was as good as over from the four to be honest, she felt exceptional today. I thought Wonderful Tonight was a genuine top-level performer and maybe we didn't see the best of her today for whatever reason, but she keeps winning her races well and you can't ask her for anymore than that. The last two furlongs, there was no real serious question asked and she's very, very good.”

Snowfall's underwhelming juvenile campaign has been well-documented by now, with seven outings beginning over an extended five furlongs at Navan in June and culminating in the G1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket in October, where she was the subject of a case of mistaken identity with the stable's other Classic heroine Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). Those runs yielded just one maiden win over seven furlongs at The Curragh and one placing, which was on that aforementioned racecourse bow, but it was in this track's G3 Musidora S. that the watershed came at a now-laughable starting price of 14-1 on her 3-year-old re-introduction May 12. Ryan Moore thought best to leave her to Frankie for the Oaks June 4 and he was made to suffer on Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) as she bounded clear to set a record-winning distance in the easy ground.

Her subsequent Irish Oaks romp at The Curragh July 17 was enough to convince any remaining doubters as to her merit, but this served as a new examination taking on the likes of the proven Wonderful Tonight. While David Menuisier was happy to let that G1 Prix de Royallieu and G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. heroine run on this ever-quickening surface, she over-raced for William Buick even allowing for having an ideal target in the 150-1 outsider La Joconde. Hollie Doyle enjoyed a real tune from that freewheeling runner as she had when also riding for this stable in the Dante here in May and she managed to see off all bar the rearguard, with the winner in a class of her own and Albaflora providing Kirsten Rausing with another highlight in a stellar 2021 and a second consecutive runner-up placing in this after Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) followed home Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) 12 months ago. With Wonderful Tonight running well below-par, the clock remained the only true guide to Snowfall's performance and three impressive sub 12-second splits in the straight saw her set the fastest time in this race since Catchascatchcan (GB) (Pursuit of Love {GB}) in 1998.

“She'd been doing everything well and was thriving at home and putting on weight,” Aidan O'Brien said. “She is very relaxed and has got very professional. Ryan said he ended up being there way too early, but that's what she does–she quickens very well. I was a little bit taken aback by her in the parade ring and how well she had done–she looked like a filly that was going to come on for the run and she's matured from a baby 3-year-old into a very mature one. The lads will decide whether she takes another run before the [Oct. 3] Arc, either at Longchamp or Leopardstown and it doesn't matter about the ground with her. If St Mark's Basilica comes back for Leopardstown, she could go to Longchamp. She gets a mile and a half very well, has everything going for her and has a beautiful mind. She had a few blips last year, but it might have worked to her advantage as she learnt a lot before she ran in anything big. That experience of travelling to England is really showing now and it's very interesting the way it's happening for her. She is a filly that travels very well and is behaving like a filly older than she is, so it's very exciting.”

Ralph Beckett said of Albaflora, “There was a great deal of discussion whether we were even going to run, but she was really well and thriving at home. When the ball is at your feet you have to kick it. We didn't win, I'm not sure we ever thought we were going to but I was pretty sure she'd run well if things went our way. She enjoys being ridden like that. To go and do that today when she's really a soft-ground filly as well is great.”

Wonderful Tonight's trainer David Menuisier was far from downbeat as he retained laser-focus on the Arc. “William [Buick]'s report was that she's not the same filly on good ground as she is on soft,” he explained. “I told him before the race if he felt she wasn't going on it to look after her. The plan today was to give her a good blow before the next step with the Arc as the target and that's what we did. I'm really happy with the run, considering the conditions were not in her favour so I think there was no harm done. Last year when she ran in the Vermeille on good-to-firm ground she ran a similar race to today, we know when the ground gets softer she can easily improve by 10 lengths or more. She's basically the same filly she was last year on this sort of ground and that is why I'm not disappointed. We had to give it a go as I wanted her to have two races before the Arc, as we saw at Goodwood that when she gets fresh she is keen. Her next race will be at Longchamp, but it could be the [Sept. 12 G2] Prix Foy rather than the [G1] Prix Vermeille, because the fillies are better than the colts this year!”

Snowfall is the first foal out of the G3 Give Thanks S. and Listed Staffordstown Stud S. winner and G2 Blandford S. runner-up Best In the World (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who is a full-sister to three other Galileos headed by the stable's prior G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Found (Ire) successful also in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. The others are the G3 C. L. Weld Park S. winner Magical Dream (Ire) and last year's G3 Flame of Tara S. winner Divinely (Ire), who is usually in attendance when Snowfall appears and followed her home in second in the Irish Oaks and third at Epsom before trailing in sixth here. Found is also the dam of last year's G2 Vintage S. winner and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up Battleground (War Front), while they are out of the G1 Lockinge S. and G1 Matron S. heroine Red Evie (Ire) (Intikhab). Best In the World's unraced 2-year-old full-brother to Snowfall is in training at Ballydoyle and named Newfoundland (Ire), while she also has a yearling colt by Dubawi (Ire).

Thursday, York, Britain
DARLEY YORKSHIRE OAKS-G1, £400,000, York, 8-19, 3yo/up, f/m, 11f 188yT, 2:26.61, gd.
1–SNOWFALL (JPN), 124, f, 3, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
1st Dam: Best In the World (Ire) (GSW-Ire, $141,246), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Red Evie (Ire), by Intikhab
3rd Dam: Malafemmena (Ire), by Nordico
O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Roncon, Chelston Ire, Wynatt (JPN); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £226,840. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Ire, 11-5-0-1, $974,271. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Albaflora (GB), 133, f, 4, Muhaarar (GB)–Almiranta (GB), by Galileo (Ire). O/B-Miss K Rausing (GB); T-Ralph Beckett. £86,000.
3–La Joconde (Ire), 124, f, 3, Frankel (GB)–Wadyhatta (GB), by Cape Cross (Ire). (850,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Westerberg; B-Lynch Bages Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £43,040.
Margins: 4, 2 3/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 0.53, 16.00, 150.00.
Also Ran: Wonderful Tonight (Fr), Loving Dream (GB), Divinely (Ire), Eshaada (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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York Feature Races’ Prize Money Returned to Pre-COVID Levels

A trio of Group 1 races at the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival on Aug.18-21 and the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. on May 13 have all had their prize money boosted to pre-COVID levels, the racecourse announced on Wednesday. The G1 Juddmonte International on Aug. 18, rated the Longines World's Best Horse Race in 2020, will once again be worth £1 million, while the Aug. 19 G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks will be run for £400,000. The purse of the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. will also be £400,000, and the Dante with be worth £165,000.

Commenting on the news, William Derby, Chief Executive and Clerk of the Course said, “York Racecourse is proud of its record of investing in prize money to help sustain the wider racing industry and to attract the best horses to the Knavesmire. This is a time when that strategy needed to be confirmed and we are pleased to be able to commit to returning these four feature contests to their pre Covid levels. The seven-figure investment in the Juddmonte International reflects its status as the Longines World's Best Race. Clearly, the world is still in a difficult place and we will hugely miss the presence of spectators at the Dante Festival 2021.

“However, we wanted to make a positive announcement that reflects what York believes is in the shared best interest of the sport that everyone involved with the Knavesmire loves. The backing of our sponsors and supporters is deeply appreciated. We are excited about the prospect of some fantastic racing in May and the return of owners at the Dante Festival. Thereafter, we very much look forward to the return of spectators to York as the summer unfolds.”

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