New stakes winner for Frankel

Frankel three-year-old Alpinista won the Listed Upavon Fillies' Stakes by a definitive three-and-three-quarter lengths at Salisbury yesterday (13th August).

Taken from the Thoroughbred Daily News, 14th August 2020:

Ten years to the day that Frankel made his debut at Newmarket, Alpinista marked the occasion in the perfect manner with a comfortable all-the-way success in this competitive affair. Unlucky not to already be a blacktype winner, having been repeatedly denied a run when a close fourth in the Prix Madame Jean Couturie L. over this trip on her seasonal return at Vichy on 20th July, the grey was established on the lead soon after the start with Sir Mark Prescott keen to leave nothing to chance with his riding instructions for Ryan Tate.

Turning the screw in the home straight, the homebred cracked the dual Group 2-placed Queen Power and was away and gone by the time the progressive Award Scheme was finding her stride.

Alpinista had mastered Epsom when impressing on her juvenile debut over seven furlongs last July, but blew the start next time and ended up sixth when second favourite for Goodwood's Prestige Stakes Gr.3 also over that trip the following month. Beaten under a length when fourth trying a mile in the Prix d'Aumale Gr.3 at ParisLongchamp on her two-year-old finale in September, she was more positively ridden on her seasonal bow at Vichy but still found herself in a pocket. Sent forward aggressively this time, she relished the firm conditions and thrived on the change of tactics​.