Alpha Centauri

Coolmore Stud spent €19m and equalled its own record set for the highest price paid at public auction in Ireland 10 years ago for Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) by flexing its buying power to secure half-sisters Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) and Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) for €6m apiece from the Niarchos draft at the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale on Friday. Alpine Star, the brilliant G1 Coronation S. winner, and multiple Group 1 and Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Alpha Centauri, carried the Niarchos family's colours with...

The "restructuring" of how the Niarchos family's breeding empire will operate means Classic winner Alpha Centauri and Group 1 scorer Alpine Star will go under the hammer at the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale. Albigna, Fiesolana, Tapestry and a raft of other top-class mares in foal to stallions such as Frankel, Dubawi, Wootton Bassett, No Nay Never and more will feature among the draft. The offering will number 44 mares all told and Alan Cooper, the operation's racing manager, was keen to stress that the draft was not a dispersal...

The Niarchos Family will be honoured with the Longines and IFHA International Award of Merit for 2021. The award recognises distinguished horsemen and horsewomen for lifelong contributions to Thoroughbred racing, with previous winners including the Magnier Family and Aidan O'Brien; the Romanet Family, Jim Bolger, Alec Head and Seth Hancock. The late Stavros Niarchos, a Greek naval officer in World War II who made his fortune in the shipping business, first became involved with Thoroughbred racing in the 1950s before taking a break and returning with a major commitment in...

Freedonia (GB) (Selkirk), the dam of G1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac winner Albigna (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), has been scanned in foal to new Coolmore stallion Circus Maximus (Ire). The Niarchos Family, who bred Circus Maximus and raced the treble Group 1 winner in partnership with the Coolmore syndicate, are also supporting the freshman sire by sending him their European Champion 3-year-old filly Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who was named Horseracing Ireland's Horse of the Year in 2018. Among the other well-credentialed mares already tested in foal to Circus Maximus...

The Curragh announced that the Niarchos Family will sponsor the Aug. 22 G2 Debutante S. to acknowledge the racing career of Niarchos homebred Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who was named Cartier champion 3-year-old filly and Irish Horse of the Year in 2018. During her racing career, she won six of 10 starts, including the G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas, G1 Coronation S., G1 Falmouth S. and G1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard. "The Niarchos family are synonymous with racing at the Curragh with their name associated with numerous high-quality...