Another Group 1 Winner For Frankel

Alpinista (Frankel-Alwilda, by Hernando) landed her first Gr1 victory in Sunday's Longines Grosser Preis von Berlin, reports racingpost.com. "This was the aim and it's not often these things go according to plan is it?" trainer Sir Mark Prescott said. "I thought Luke [Morris] rode an excellent race. She was the first of the principals under pressure and I thought Luke shut the favourite [Torquator Tasso] in nicely turning for home, which I was delighted with." Prescott enthused, "She just got stronger the further she went and when she won the Lancashire Oaks, she was well on top at the end, but not certain to win with 150 or 200 yards to go – she really stays." The win was her third victory in succession and took her record to five wins from ten starts. Prescott and owner-breeder Kirsten Rausing also won with Alpinista's granddam Albanova (Alzao) in 2004. Albanova was crowned Champion Older Female Stayer in both Great Britain and Germany thanks to three Gr1 wins, and she left four stakes winners at stud, including Listed winner Alwilda (Hernando), the dam of Alpinista. Frankel now has eighteen Group 1 winners including Australia's Hungry Heart (Frankel-Harlech, by Pivotal), Mirage Dancer (Frankel-Heat Haze, by Green Desert), and Converge (Frankel-Conversely, by Shamardal).