Sir Mark Prescott: Arc the plan next year for Alpinista

Alpinista will have next year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on her agenda after Sir Mark Prescott confirmed she will stay in training.

Owned by Kirsten Rausing, the four-year-old Frankel filly has won Group Ones in Germany on her last two outings.

At Hoppegarten in August she had none other than Torquator Tasso back in second – and while many British race fans might not have thought much of the form initially, he then went on to win Sunday’s Arc showpiece at ParisLonghamp.

“She’s fine, and the form was greatly enhanced on Sunday,” said Prescott.

“The form had looked good before – because after she won, the Arc winner went on and won his Group One, and the Godolphin horse (Walton Street, third at Hoppegarten) won the Canadian International.

“It was clear the form was probably better than we thought, pretty soon after the race, so it was very rewarding to see him run so well.

“If she’s all right we’ve always intended to run her in the Grosser Preis Von Bayern at Munich on November 7.

“If she’s not – because it’s late in the year for a filly – if she gave us signs she wasn’t at her best, then that would do and next year we would try to train her towards the Arc de Triomphe if we could.

“She definitely stays in training. Miss Kirsten Rausing is very fortunate, because she has got so many of the family at stud.

“While this one is capable of adding lustre to the family, it is better off winning races, and the others can get on with the breeding.”