Japan Cup could be next after Alpinista lands Arc for Prescott

Alpinista gave Sir Mark Prescott and jockey Luke Morris the biggest success of their respective careers by landing a thrilling renewal of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp on Sunday, and the six-time Group One winner will now receive a $3 million bonus if successful in this year's Japan Cup.

The Kirsten Rausing-owned mare scooped over £2.4m in prize money for her victory in the French showpiece, and connections now have one eye on another huge payday, with a tilt at the prestigious mile-and-a-half contest at Tokyo on Sunday, November 27 under consideration.

Always travelling sweetly in the heavy ground, Alpinista was last off the bridle, with Japanese hope Titleholder setting a good pace for her to aim at, and once Morris asked his mount for maximum effort approaching the final furlong, the five-year-old stayed on stoutly to fend off the late thrust of Coral-Eclipse winner Vadeni and last year’s winner Torquator Tasso, who flew late from a wide draw under Frankie Dettori.

Prescott said: “It’s absolutely marvellous but the last 100 yards absolutely killed me. Such a relief she held on.

“Luke has ridden for us for 11 years and Miss Rausing has had horses with us for 36, so I’m very lucky. I trained her grandmother so it’s hard to think of a better day.

“This is a wonderful change to have one who can really go and she’s just been perfect.

“I was wondering whether she could improve again and she did.

“The race went like a dream. If it hadn’t been my horse, I would have thought it was going to win every inch of the way, but when it’s your own of course it’s a nightmare!

“I didn’t think all that rain would help, but she’s never travelled better and has come on with each race.

“Can she go on again? I don’t know what Ms Rausing will do. There’s the Japan Cup and the Breeders’ Cup to consider, so we’ll see."

Prescott is clearly keen on an Asian adventure, saying: “I’m sure Miss Rausing’s eagle eye will have observed that she gets a $3million bonus if she’s lucky enough to win the Japan Cup, on top of the prize-money!”

Morris said: “I had a beautiful draw in stall six and after being perfectly placed, there was a second when I thought we were getting drawn into it too early.

“But once she had taken charge, I was able to sit on her from 100 metres out.

“All credit to the staff at home I’m just the guy that sits on the horses a few times each year.

“I was concerned when all that rain came but the race went very smoothly – I couldn’t believe how it could have in a 20-runner Arc. It was incredible.”

Rausing added: “She will come back to our stud next year. As for the Breeders’ Cup or the Japan Cup, we want to go home and talk about it.”

Georges Rimaud, racing manager to Vadeni’s owner, the Aga Khan, said: “We were very pleased with his run and we were obviously beaten by a very good opponent.

“Christophe (Soumillon) had a good run through the whole race and thought he was going to win, but the mare found more.

“He’s proved he stays the trip in soft ground, so we will go away and discuss what will happen in the next few days.”

Dettori, discussing Torquator Tasso, who finished third, said: “He finished really strong and ran a super race. The draw didn’t help but it’s his style of racing to run on the outer.

“I thought for a moment I might get to them, but they were too strong for me.”

Aidan O’Brien confirmed the unplaced Luxembourg pulled a muscle.

“Obviously he got stuck in the ground, he pulled a muscle off his near-hip. He’s sore enough now,” he told Sky Sports Racing.

“He’s sore enough now, hopefully we can take him home but he’ll be sore enough for a while. It will heal in time and hopefully we can look forward to next season. I’d say that will almost certainly be it this season.”