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Alpinista Seeks British Group 1 Win in Yorkshire Oaks

The 5-year-old mare's last outing was a win in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1).

Alpinista wins the 2020 British Stallion Studs E.B.F. Upavon Stakes at Salisbury

Alpinista wins the 2020 British Stallion Studs E.B.F. Upavon Stakes at Salisbury

Hugh Routledge

Luke Morris believes the Yorkshire Oaks (G1) will be a crucial test of Alpinista's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) credentials as the pair bid for a remarkable fifth group 1 victory in a row.

The Sir Mark Prescott–trained 5-year-old outran her odds of 33-1 to finish second in the race behind Love in 2020, but has blossomed into a top-level winning machine since and took her unbeaten run to six when an impressive winner in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1) on her return last month.

The daughter of Frankel  is as short as 7-1 for the Arc and Morris is looking forward to once again partnering Prescott's stable star, who races solely against her own sex for the first time since her Lancashire Oaks (G2) triumph in July last year.

"She's in great form at home and she put up a good performance at Saint-Cloud, where she clocked a very fast time," Morris said. "I'm very excited to get back up on her. I generally don't work her at home but I had a sit on her on Tuesday. She wouldn't be the best worker, but she feels like she's in great form."

Morris is conscious of the challenge Alpinista faces on the Knavesmire against the likes of Classic heroines Magical Lagoon and Tuesday, as well as Pretty Polly Stakes (G1) scorer La Petite Coco and group winners Lilac Road, Raclette and Poptronic in a top-class seven-runner field.

He added: "Sir Mark has placed her to perfection and it would be fantastic if we could get her a domestic group 1 win. It does look a very deep race though and could be the toughest she's faced, with three other group 1 winners in there and some top-class fillies. It's a brilliant running.

"Tomorrow will be another stepping stone towards Longchamp, but these are the days you dream of as a jockey. It'd be fantastic to get another group 1 in Britain to my name, especially for Sir Mark."

The Prescott team are eager to land that elusive British group 1 with Alpinista for her owner Kirsten Rausing and her Lanwades Stud operation.

Assistant trainer William Butler said: "We've been happy with her preparations and it looks like she's going to get her fast ground, which we feel she's best on. It's all systems go.

"It would mean everything to Miss Rausing to make Alpinista a British group 1 winner. Her Saint-Cloud win was very impressive as well as her form levels from last year, which have worked out brilliantly. To get a win in such a big race in the calendar in Britain would be huge."