Kirsten Rausing

Arc Glory For Frankel's Alpinista

Carried out in driving rain and accompanying gloom, Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe went to Kirsten Rausing's Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) who with her ever-whitening coat and mud-dappled white silks navigated what resembled a ploughed field like a trail of luminescence at ParisLongchamp. Taking the eye throughout as she made easy work of the swiftly-deteriorating conditions under Luke Morris, who had been in action on the all-weather at Wolverhampton the night before, the 10-3 favourite waited with all the learned patience of such a beautifully-nurtured 5-year-old for...

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Cameras At The Ready As Flash Offers Blackbeard's Sister

By Brian Sheerin and Emma Berry KILDARE, Ireland--Blackbeard (Ire) has blazed a trail on the track this season and, less than a week after doubling his Group 1 tally when running out an impressive winner of the Middle Park S. at Newmarket, his little sister will go under the hammer at the Orby Sale on Tuesday, which gets underway at 9.30am. The No Nay Never filly will be sold by Flash Conroy of Glenvale Stud and is one of the most important lots of the entire sale given the exploits...

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Seven Days: Overwhelming

Where to begin? The past week has been so wrought with emotion that by the time Sunday arrived with its 15 group races in England, Ireland and France only the dourest of stayers made it through to Doncaster's Mallard Handicap. This is a racing publication, of course, but before we reflect on the action on the racecourse, it would be remiss not to mention the heartbreaking human loss which was so intrinsically entwined with the sport.  Grief engulfed two nations. Wednesday brought the indelibly sad image of Henry de Bromhead...

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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...

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Lennox Success For Bobby's Kitten's Sandrine

Jockey David Probert described Kirsten Rausing's Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) as a having been a "forgotten horse" following her success in Tuesday's G2 World Pool Lennox S. at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, but last year's G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. and G3 Albany S. winner made sure she was back in the headlines at a seven-furlong trip that may prove her niche. Already signalling a return to her best when fighting out the finish of the G1 Falmouth S. with Prosperous Voyage (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB})...

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Grant Harris To Head Alborada Trust

British Racing School Chief Executive Grant Harris will move on to a new role as the Chief Executive of the Alborada Trust on Jan. 1, 2023. A search for his successor will begin immediately. The Alborada Trust is Kirsten Rausing's private philanthropic charitable trust. Harris replaced Rory MacDonald when he retired in 2014. Prior to working with the BRS, Harris was a journalist for the NTF, BHB and Weatherbys. Harris said, "It's been my great privilege to run the British Racing School. I took over a thriving organisation and I...

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Seven Days: Veni, Vidi, Vici, Vadeni

This season we appear to have been gifted an above average crop of 3-year-olds, along with some truly exciting older horses who have remained in training. It is as it should be, but things don't always work out that way.  France and England exchanged Group 1 races at the weekend: on Saturday it was a case of veni, vidi, vici for Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}), who gave France a first victory in the race since 1960, when it was won by the Percy Carter-trained Javelot (Fr) (Fast Fox {Fr}). The...

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Frankel's Alpinista Takes The Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud

Kirsten Rausing's Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was making her comeback in Sunday's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, but there was no sign of rustiness as she overwhelmed a deep field for a fourth consecutive top-level victory. Now unbeaten in her last six starts including the G2 Lancashire Oaks, G1 Grosser Preis Von Berlin, G1 Preis Von Europa and G1 Grosser Preis Von Bayern, the Sir Mark Prescott-trained grey was held up early travelling notably strongly for Luke Morris in rear of mid-division. Unleashed wide at the top of the straight,...

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Dubawi's Eldar Eldarov Edges The Queen's Vase

Wednesday's G2 Queen's Vase was staged over 14 furlongs, but it took a pixel study for the judge to call it as TDN Rising Star Eldar Eldarov (GB) inched out Zechariah (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}) to continue the fine week for Dubawi (Ire). KHK Racing's unbeaten colt had launched his season with a win over 10 furlongs on Newcastle's Tapeta May 24, but Roger Varian had plumped for this staying test of all the options here and ultimately was fully justified as the £480,000 Arqana Breeze Up graduate needed every yard...

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Miami IP Stable Ready for Round 2

A group of Italians who call South Florida home banded together last year to form Miami IP Stable, a racing stable of American-bought horses to race in Italy. The partners' initial investment worked out so well, they plan on restocking at the upcoming yearlings sale and this time they hope to make use of evolving technology to increase their buying power. Paolo Romanelli, whose roots in Italian racing run deep, spearheaded the partnership. "I have this passion for horse racing because of my family tradition," Romanelli said of the origins...

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Seven Days: Half-Mast

The flag at Somerville Lodge in Newmarket is at half-mast. For the inhabitants of that famous stable it is of course a deeply personal gesture as Maureen Haggas and her family mourn the death of her father Lester Piggott. Over the decades they will have become accustomed to the fact that the head of their family was also a racing icon--a man not just whose name is the first jockey a random member of the public can call to mind, but for many longstanding fans of racing the man who...

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Coronation Cup First Up For Alpinista

Three-time Group 1 winner Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) will step out in the June 3 G1 Cazoo Coronation Cup at Epsom for her first start of the year, according to trainer Sir Mark Prescott. Raced by breeder Kirsten Rausing, the 5-year-old delivered five victories in five starts in 2021, including three straight German Group 1s: August's Grosser Preis von Berlin, September's Preis von Europa and the Grosser Preis von Bayern on Nov. 7. Prescott said, "She is fine and we intend to run her in the Coronation Cup. We have...

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