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Coronation Stakes Result 2018: Alpha Centauri storms to victory
Posted in: Royal Ascot News
Alpha Centauri (11/4f) was an impressive winner of the Coronation Stakes.
Alpha Centauri ran out a most impressive winner of the Coronation Stakes to give trainer Mrs Jessica Harrington her first Royal Ascot winner. Jockey Colm O'Donoghue had her in the perfect position turning for home and she showed a spectacular turn of foot to power away from her rivals to win in a course-record time. The Mark Johnston-trained Threading (7/1) ran a fine race in second, while Veracious (14/1) stayed on for third.
A sensational performance from Irish 1000 Guineas winner Alpha Centauri who bolts up in the Coronation Stakes @Ascot and records her second success at Group One level. #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/dWrcsY8zS1
— Racing UK (@Racing_UK) June 22, 2018
Alan Cooper, racing manager to the Niarchos family, said: "We always been happy with the filly and Jessie lets the horses do the talking, and there was nothing negative ahead of the race. She does the training and said everything was good and so you just have to take the chance. Going into the race we were very nervous, looking at the form of the others, but we've shown them all today.
"I don't need to tell you anything about Jessie - her record and her achievements tell you everything. I saw the filly on Saturday and she looked wonderful. She travelled well and what happened today was amazing. It's the Niarchos family's third Coronation win and it is fabulous for our broodmares."
Harrington said: "First, I am relieved; I definitely was very nervous today as I know she is a great filly. It was rather nice going into the Irish 1,000 Guineas as we were very much under the radar, she hadn't run well on soft ground two runs before that - today we were there to be shot at.
"I suppose we were very disappointed when we were beaten here with Alpha Centauri last year when she was second in the Albany Stakes - but that's racing, some things happen and some things don't happen - it's great when it does all come together.
"The ground is the key to her. As you see there, she is a very big filly - she weighs 520kg - and I think when she is on soft ground she physically can't get her feet out of the ground. She just floats on top of the ground. What she wants is good ground, what she doesn't want is heavy ground.
"Colm was very confident on her, she jumped well and settled great and when Colm turned in I thought 'jeepers, he has gone very soon,' but the further she went the quicker she went."
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