Alpinista Earns Prescott Glorious First Arc Victory

Wonder mare Alpinista  passed her stiffest test with flying colors to win the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) for Sir Mark Prescott and Luke Morris Oct. 2 at Longchamp. It was an eighth success in a row for the 5-year-old, who is unbeaten in the last two seasons.

She was always traveling strongly in the rain-softened ground, led around a furlong and a half from home, and held on bravely from Vadeni  and last year's winner, Torquator Tasso .

"I'm lucky to get a good one at this stage of my career!" the 74-year-old winning trainer joked afterward.

Alpinista, owned and bred by Kirsten Rausing, was backed down to favoritism as the rain fell. She was winning her sixth straight group 1.

"Luke's ridden for me for 11 years, Miss Rausing's had horses with me for 36, so I'm very lucky, aren't I?" Prescott added. "It's hard to think of a better day."

He reflected on the closing stages: "You felt she was always going to win, but it was just an enormous relief when she got there."

The outcome was better news for backers than layers. Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: "A 7-2 favorite gray mare winning the Arc might have been a fairy tale result for punters, but it was a poor result for us with backers not being able to get enough of her all the way to the off."

Brilliant mare! Alpinista is amazing in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for Sir Mark Prescott and @Luke_Morris88! @paris_longchamp #QPAT pic.twitter.com/moHLxIgtS3

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 2, 2022

Prescott is in his 52nd year as a trainer, having sent out his first winner when Belle Royale scored at Teesside Park in 1971.

Alpinista is only the second 5-year-old mare to win the Arc, following Corrida in 1937.

She passed the post half a length clear under Morris, who has twice won the Prix de l'Abbaye (G1) on this card but was riding the biggest winner of his career.

Morris said: "I think this is the pinnacle of my career. It's an unbelievably special day. There are not many times I get teary-eyed, but I was having to hold back tears today.

"Things went to plan. It was very nice and smooth. After we got all that rain, I was concerned whether she'd be quite as effective, but she's a remarkable mare. She's so versatile and so tough.

"I couldn't believe how well she was going, coming into the straight. I was just trying to conserve her for as long as I could. When I needed her, she dug in very deep."

Ante-post favorite Luxembourg , trained by Aidan O'Brien, could finish only seventh, a place ahead of stablemate Broome . Main Japanese hope Titleholder  came home 11th, having forced the pace from the off.

The Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) is a Breeders' Cup Challenge race, whose winner receives an automatic qualifying position, and fees paid, into the 2022 Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) on World Championship weekend Nov. 4 and 5 at Keeneland.