Wonder mare Alpinista records epic win in the Arc de Triomphe for 74-year-old Sir Mark Prescott
SHE came, she saw, she conquered.
The brilliant Alpinista powered relentlessly through the driving Paris rain to record an epic Arc de Triomphe win for 74-year-old Sir Mark Prescott.
The 7-2 favourite Alpinista won the Arc de Triomphe under Luke Morris[/caption]It is the crowning moment in a legendary career for Britain’s longest-serving trainer and a dream come true for jockey Luke Morris.
He cut his teeth on the all-weather as a young rider – and even took a full book of rides at Wolverhampton on the eve of the Arc – but he is now the winner of the world’s biggest Flat race.
Alpinista has been a galloping cash register over the last couple of years and had won five Group 1s on the spin coming into the race.
The ground was softer than ideal and Prescott was wearing an anxious expression as the heavens opened in the minutes before the race.
But he needn’t have worried as his wonder mare cruised around Longchamp in second gear and had enough up her sleeve to fend off the late challenge of Vadeni, with last year’s hero Torquator Tasso a close third under Frankie Dettori.
More to follow…