Alpinista's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe win a crowning glory for Sir Mark Prescott

You knew something was afoot when she won her maiden on debut as a two-year-old at Epsom in the July of 2019.

That’s not the Sir Mark Prescott way. He’s had nearly 600 two-year-olds hit the racetrack for the first time this century and only 35 have won, at a strike-rate of less than six per cent.

Of course, Prescott has been training for much longer than just this century. This is his 53rd year with a licence. And the Prescott way is to run three times in maidens, get a handicap mark, step them up in trip and you know the rest. A master of his art, handicaps are Prescott’s bread and butter. But it’s no surprise his Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Alpinista has never run in one.

There were two more races for Alpinista after her Epsom win as a juvenile, both in Group 3 company. Defeat at Goodwood was followed by defeat at Longchamp, but she wasn’t beaten far, particularly in France, and she graduated from her first three runs with an official rating of 97.

But Prescott wasn’t tempted to resort to old habits, even though you would fancy Alpinista in any middle-distance handicap you can think of now off a mark of 97.

It wasn’t until the July of her three-year-old career that she reappeared, in a Listed race at Vichy, where she was fourth. Just over three weeks later she got off the mark for the campaign in another Listed race at Salisbury, impressively enough to be thrown into the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks a week after that. Sent off 33/1 on the Knavesmire, she was second to Aidan O’Brien’s Love, who was made favourite for the 2020 Arc.

Love never made it to Paris, but the runner-up had begun her own journey to the Arc. A half-length defeat to Antonia De Vega in a Newmarket Group 3 in September 2020 followed the York run for Alpinista, her final start of the season.

It was the last time Luke Morris didn’t ride her – and it was the last time she was beaten.

Morris makes his mark

Just over two furlongs out on Sunday Morris sat motionless on Alpinista. Japanese hope Titleholder had taken them along at a good clip and Morris got the perfect tow into the race from a kind draw in stall six.

Two out he took a pull. “I couldn’t believe how well she was going,” the jockey said. But Vadeni was going well too for Christophe Soumillon as they emerged from the pack. Morris went for home with Alpinista, but a three-length lead was almost whittled away.

“When I needed her she dug in very deep for me,” Morris went on. “She was very tough.”

Morris had timed his effort to perfection. Just like he did at Goodwood, Haydock, Hoppegarten, Cologne and Munich.

Just like he did in the Prix de l’Abbaye on this corresponding card, twice, actually, on Gilt Edge Girl at Longchamp in 2010 and on Marsha, for Prescott, at Chantilly in 2016.

After 11 years with Prescott, Marsha was the previous highlight. He has a new one now, but Marsha was another fine filly who was not from the usual Prescott mould. She won three Group 1 races – and got beat off 95 in her only appearance in a handicap. Her trainer couldn’t resist with her.

Rausing reception

While the Prescott and Morris partnership has been going for just over a decade, the Newmarket trainer’s relationship with owner-breeder Kirsten Rausing spans five of them.

The Swedish billionairess first had horses with Prescott in 1986 and in the late 1990s they had their finest hour(s) with the home-bred Alborada, who won the Champion Stakes, then at Newmarket, in the autumns of 1998 and 1999.

Alborada was a full-sister to Albanova, who won three Group 1s for Prescott in Germany in 2004. Albanova is the dam of Alwilda, making her Alpinista’s grandmother. Alwilda’s finest hour came in a German Listed race, but she had a more typical career for Prescott, running in nine handicaps and winning two of them.

He’s trained more from the same family, as well. Albamara, Alphabetical, Albertus Pictor. But none as brilliant as Alpinista, with the Frankel factor - the Juddmonte stallion was winning his first Arc - perhaps the final piece of the jigsaw.

Prescott, clad in flat cap and wax jacket, stood almost as rigid as Morris sat as he leant against a tree in the leafy Longchamp parade ring two furlongs from home. Watching his wonderful mare on the big screen, the emotion was there for all to see as she held on to win Europe’s most prestigious middle-distance contest in a thriller.

In a career dominated by the big handicaps Prescott has occasionally popped up in Group 1s. But this is the biggest of them all, his life’s work completed by the exploits of the brilliant and courageous Alpinista in the Arc.

“It’s a wonderful change to have one that can really go,” Prescott mused in the immediate aftermath. After a remarkable training career that stretches back to 1969, nobody would say he doesn’t deserve it.

More from Sporting Life

• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.