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Alpine Star Crowned in Coronation
Credit: Ascot Racecourse

Alpine Star Crowned in Coronation

ASCOT, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND – Niarchos Family homebred Alpine Star was crowned a comfortable winner in Saturday’s Coronation Stakes (G1) on Day 5 of the 2020 Royal Ascot Meet.

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Breaking from the stalls under Frankie Dettori at 9/2 odds stateside, Alpine Star chased comfortably from third behind Run Wild, who went to the early lead. The American runner Sharing was initially keen to press the pace three-wide before being taken back toward the rear to settle.

Cloak Of Spirits moved up to take the lead as the field straightened for home, but Alpine Star – patiently held waiting for room along the outer rail – soon got what he waited for and surged through an opening. Taking the lead midway home, the Jessica Harrington trainee proved much too strong, drawing off to win by 4 1/4 lengths.

When Alpine Star completed the 8-furlong event in a final time of 1:42.21 over the good to soft footing, it gave Frankie Dettori his first victory in the race, the last remaining Group 1 Royal Ascot event missing from his resume.

“It has taken 30 years to win all the Group 1s, but I can say that I have really conquered Royal Ascot now – I am delighted for all the people concerned,” said Dettori, who inherited the mount after regular rider Shane Foley was unable to travel. “I really fancied Alpine Star. I didn’t want to jinx it, so I kept quiet. Jessie approached me about 10 days ago when she knew that Shane couldn’t fly here. I kept it quiet and knew she was an exciting ride.”

Sharing was unable to keep pace with the runaway winner, taking second by 1 3/4 lengths over Quadrilateral and So Wonderful. Coak Of Spirits, Love Locket, and Run Wild completed the order of finish.

Alpine Star’s win came in her 2020 debut and was her third straight, following a 7-furlong triumph in the Debutante Stakes (G2) at Curragh last August. The 3-year-old Sea The Moon filly is out of the Rahy mare Alpha Lupi, making her a half-sister to the 2018 Coronation champion Alpha Centauri.

“I could not believe it because she was the only horse in the field that hadn’t had a run this year, but she is amazing,” Harrington said. “She is very laidback and nothing like Alpha Centauri, who was a great big, very imposing filly. This filly is not very big, she is not a great color – a little bit of a mealy chestnut. If you saw her trotting around in the string, you wouldn’t pick her out, but she has the most wonderful attitude.”

Alpine Star returned $11.20 to win and $3.40 to place, Sharing brought back $2.80 to place, and Quadrilateral paid $2.20 to place. 

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