Brilliant 3yo filly Alpha Centauri, whose second dam is a half-sister to Varsfontein Stud’s successful sire Judpot, made it four G1 wins on the bounce when she won Sunday’s Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois at Deauville in brilliant style.
Previously successful in all of the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, G1 Coronation Stakes and G1 Falmouth Stakes, the brilliant Mastercraftsman filly found another gear to leave her rivals trailing in her wake, with G1 Prix d’Ispahan winner Recoletos two and a half lengths back in second and G1 Prix Rothschild winner With You in third.
Alpha Centauri has now won six of her nine outings and banked £1 195 978 in stakes money.
The filly’s trainer Jessica Harrington said after the win, “”She’s an amazing filly. I must admit, bringing her here to take on colts and older horses, I thought I must be mad. But then again, I felt we might as well keep her going and it was a fantastic performance.
Three furlongs down she decided it was time to go, which was longer from the finish than I’d hoped, but I could see on the screen that she had the group on the far side behind her and once given her head, she just kept going away from them. When she does that, you hope she’s not burning up too much energy because there are several possibilities now. She’s in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown, the Sun Chariot at Newmarket and the mile at Ascot (Queen Elizabeth II Stakes) and if she does make it through to the Breeders’ Cup, it will have been a very long season by then. She’s given me a few sleepless nights, I have to admit that, but it’s not quite like training Moscow Flyer as there are no fences to worry about.”
Alpha Centauri is out of the unraced Rahy mare Alpha Lupi, whose French 1000 Guineas/Oaks winning dam East Of The Moon is a half-sister to Judpot. (East Of The Moon won the Prix Jacques Le Marois back in 1994 while her dam Miesque won the race in both 1987 and 1988).
Europe’s latest superstar’s third dam is the legendary racemare and producer Miesque- who also features as the second dam of 2018 French Derby winner Study Of Man.
Judpot, a son of A P Indy and Miesque, enjoyed another memorable season in 2017-2018 when his representatives included G1 Premier’s Champions Challenge hero Coral Fever, G2 Post Merchants victor Sniper Shot and the promising filly Nous Voila.
Previously responsible for G1 winners Along Came Polly, Forest Indigo and Juxtapose, Judpot has 15 lots on offer at this week’s National Two Year Old Sale.