Alpha Centauri the star of the show at Newmarket with Group 1 romp
On a day when favourite backers have struggled, Alpha Centauri ended the dry spell with a scintillating victory in the Group 1 Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes for Colm O’Donoghue and Jessica Harrington, taking home a first prize of £113,420.
Sent off at 4-9, Alpha Centauri, who was rated 11lb higher than her six rivals, was immediately angled towards the favoured stands’ side rail by O’Donoghue and made most of the running, clearing away when asked two furlongs out and never looked like being caught.
She became the third Irish winner of the race in a row after Alice Springs (2016) and Roly Poly (2017) came home in front the last two years.
The Niarchos family-owned filly was last seen forging clear to win the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot by six lengths in a track-record time and she was no less impressive this occasion, stamping herself as the best three-year-old around of either sex this year.
Harrington said: “She’s absolutely unbelievable. She was hacking along and quickened up – maybe she didn’t win as far as she did at Ascot but she had to do the donkey work today.
“She’s amazing. She loves that ground and is just a fantastic horse. I’m very lucky to train her. The Flat is very important – it’s financial and the jumps are just fun!
“One race at a time and we’ll see what happens regarding the Breeders’ Cup after today.”
Roger Varian’s Altyn Orda, who tracked Alpha Centauri along against the rail for the majority of the contest and was the recipient of some each-way support before the race, came home in second, while Clemmie finished third.
Paddy Power shortened Alpha Centauri to a best-priced 5-1 (from 8) for the Breeders’ Cup Mile after the contest, a race Harrington suggested would be a future target after her Ascot success.
Result, replay and analysis (fonte : RacingPost)
So easy for Mastercraftsman’s Alpha Centauri in the Falmouth
| 4th at NEW, Gr. Stk, £200,000 | G1 Tattersalls Falmouth S. | (8f) | Winner: Alpha Centauri (Ire), f, 3 by Mastercraftsman (Ire) |
Alpha Centauri alone at the finish of the Falmouth | racingfotos.com
By Tom Frary
Odds of 4-9 are never tempting in a race like the G1 Tattersalls Falmouth S., but TDN Rising Star Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) made them look a gift as she sauntered to a facile all-the-way success at Newmarket on Friday. Following a breakthrough win in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh May 27 with a command performance in Royal Ascot’s G1 Coronation S. June 22, the Niarchos’ grey was always in her comfort zone as jockey Colm O’Donoghue opted to take the stand’s rail and the lead from the outset. Extending her advantage from over two furlongs out, she had 4 1/2 lengths to spare over Altyn Orda (Ire) (Kyllachy {GB}), with Clemmie (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) a length back in third and the rest well beaten. “She’s unbelievable–she was hacking along and had to do all the donkey work today,” trainer Jessie Harrington said. “She is amazing, with the size of her and I’m very lucky to have her.”
ALPHA CENTAURI (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Mastercraftsman (Ire)
1st Dam: Alpha Lupi (Ire), by Rahy
2nd Dam: East of the Moon, by Private Account
3rd Dam: Miesque, by Nureyev
O/B-Niarchos Family; B-Niarchos Family (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington; J-Colm O’Donoghue. £113,420. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Ire, 8-5-1-0, £690,314. *1/2 to Tenth Star (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), SW & GSP-Ire, GSP-Eng. (fonte : TDN)
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