Coronation Stakes
 QuinnBet
Group 1 Fillies , Ascot 16:20
£500,000 added,
3yo only,
1m, Class 1   
Friday 22nd June 2018

Quinnbet

1 Alpha Centauri 11/4F
2 Threading 7/1
3 Veracious 14/1
12 ran NR: Capla Temptress Distances: 6l, 1¾l, 1¾l
Time: 1m 35.89s (fast by 3.11s)

Alpha Centauri destroys the field in record time

Alpha Centauri
© Caroline Norris
Alpha Centauri
 
Trainer Jessica Harrington broke her Royal Ascot maiden tag in style today, her Mastercraftsman filly Alpha Centauri, owned and bred by the Niarchos family, winning the G1 Coronation Stakes by six lengths and in a course record time of 1m 35.89s from the Mark Johnston-trained Threading. 
 
Winner of the Irish 1,000 Guineas, she was one of three Guineas winners coming into the race, and on paper it looked a hugely competitive renewal of the race over Ascot's round mile. Alpha Centauri loomed upsides the leaders coming into the home straight and jockey Colm O'Donoghue kicked early, the pair put the race to bed in a matter of strides.
 
A beaming 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, also a successful Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning trainer, 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.
 
Of the filly's preferences, Harrington explained: "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."
 
Of training her first Royal Ascot winner, Harrington said: "I have a lot of good people behind me and a lot of very nice owners who give me nice horses. It's very special [to have a Royal Ascot winner]. I have had Ascot winners but never Royal Ascot winners - it is absolutely fantastic. I had sort of been getting to the stage - with Torcedor going very near yesterday - of thinking 'will it ever happen?' She was my last runner this week, so I said to myself that it was now or never.

"I was getting more and more nervous because it was a very good race. She has a fantastic temperament and is very easy to train. Probably the key for her is that she is so relaxed - Colm said that was only doing a half-speed going up the hill. She is a big-striding filly and Colm didn't want to break her stride at all.
 
"She only ever works on the bridle at home, but she did that sort of run in the Irish Guineas, when she had to go and catch the horse in front of her and then stayed on."
 
As for future race plans, Cooper said: "I have to talk to Jessie and Maria and Electra, but there is a race at Deauville in the middle of August that the family sponsors, it might be an option."
 
Harrington added: "I really have to sit down and talk to Alan and Colm, and try and make the right decisions for her. We can dream, plan and see where the owners would like to take her."
 
When comparing the feeling of a top level success jumping compared with on the Flat, Harrington said: "Any winner is a great winner, and to have a Grade 1 winner over jumps or a Group 1 winner on the Flat, it is the same feeling, it is fantastic.
 
"Flat racing is over quicker, which is great, jumping you've got to go three miles and two furlongs and over fences and it's an awful lot of time and you've got to have an awful lot of heart jumping out of the mud.
 
"My yard is now about fifty-fifty jumping horses to Flat horses. I have a great team and lots of family work for me - both daughters work for me and I am about to get my son in law too. I hope we'll get on well together!"

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Coronation Stakes (British Champions Series)
£500,000 added, 3yo only, 1m, Class 1
12 ran
Going: Good to Firm

Pos Dr D Horse SP Jockey Weight Trainer Age
1st (9) Alpha Centauri (IRE) 11/4f C O'Donoghue
9-0		 Mrs J Harrington 3
2nd (5) 6 Threading (IRE) 7/1 W Buick
9-0		 M Johnston 3
3rd (11) 1¾ Veracious 14/1 L Dettori
9-0		 Sir Michael Stoute 3
4th (6) 1¾ Billesdon Brook 9/2 S M Levey
9-0		 R Hannon 3
5th (1) 2½ Clemmie (IRE) 4/1 R L Moore
9-0		 A P O'Brien 3
6th (12) ½ Coeur De Beaute (FR) 10/1 S Pasquier
9-0		 M Delcher Sanchez 3
7th (13) 1½ Aim Of Artemis (IRE) 33/1 James Doyle
9-0		 J H M Gosden 3
8th (10) nk Anna Nerium 20/1 Tom Marquand
9-0		 R Hannon 3
9th (2) nk Teppal (FR) 7/1 O Peslier
9-0		 D M Simcock 3
10th (7) 5 Nkosikazi 100/1 Oisin Murphy
9-0		 B J Meehan 3
11th (8) 1½ Whitefountainfairy (IRE) 50/1 David Probert
9-0		 A M Balding 3
12th (4) 17 Adorable (IRE) 20/1 S De Sousa
9-0		 M R Channon 3
NR (3) Capla Temptress (IRE) Andrea Atzeni
9-0		 M Botti 3

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THE CORONATION STAKES
Past Results

2017-WINNER-WINTER 3-9-00 Owner-Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Ryan
Moore; SP-4/9F
2ND-Roly Poly 3-9-00 Owner-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Seamie Heffernan; SP-
12/1
3RD-Hydrangea 3-9-00 Owner-Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier & Michael Tabor; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Padraig Beggy; SP-
16/1
7 ran; Time-1m 39.39s; Dist- 2¼, nk

2016-WINNER-QEMAH 3-9-00 Owner-Al Shaqab Racing; Trainer- Jean-Claude Rouget FR; Jockey-Gregory Benoist; SP-6/1
2ND-Nemoralia 3-9-00 Owner-T Allan, J Lovat & C Pigram; Trainer-Jeremy Noseda; Jockey-Olivier Peslier: SP-4/1
3RD-Alice Springs 3-9-00 Owner-Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Ryan Moore; SP-8/1
13 ran; Time-1m 40.56s; Dist-1¾, shd 9/4 Fav Jet Setting (6th)

2015-WINNER-ERVEDYA 3-9-00 Owner-H H Aga Khan; Trainer-Jean-Claude Rouget FR; Jockey-Christophe Soumillon; SP-3/1
2ND-Found 3-9-00 Owner-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Ryan Moore; SP-13/8 Fav
3RD-Lucida 3-9-00 Owner-Godolphin; Trainer-Jim Bolger IRE; Jockey-Kevin Manning; SP-3/1
9 ran; Time-1m 38.46s; Dist-nk, 1⁄2

2014-WINNER-RIZEENA 3-9-00 Owner-Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum; Trainer-Clive Brittain; Jockey-Ryan Moore; SP-11/2
2ND-Lesstalk In Paris 3-9-00 Owner-Sarl Ecurie J L Tepper; Trainer-Jean-Claude Rouget FR; Jockey-Christophe Soumillon; SP- 15/2
3RD-Euro Charline 3-9-00 Owner-Team Valor; Trainer-Marco Botti; Jockey-Andrea Atzeni; SP-16/1
12 ran; Time-1m 40.73s; Dist-¾, hd 5/1 Fav Lightning Thunder (9th)

2013-WINNER-SKY LANTERN 3-9-00 Owner-Ben Keswick; Trainer-Richard Hannon; Jockey: Richard Hughes; SP-9/2JF
2ND-Kenhope 3-9-00 Owner-Guy Pariente; Trainer-Henri-Alex Pantall FR; Jockey-Thierry Jarnet; SP-33/1
3RD-Just The Judge 3-9-00 Owner-Qatar Racing Limited & Sangster Family; Trainer-Charlie Hills; Jockey-Jamie Spencer; SP- 5/1
17 ran; Time-1m 39.75s; Dist-4, nk 9/2 Joint-Favourite Big Break (7th)

2012-WINNER-FALLEN FOR YOU 3-9-00 Owner-Normandie Stud Ltd; Trainer-John Gosden; Jockey-William Buick; SP-12/1
2ND-Starscope 3-9-00 Owner-Cheveley Park Stud; Trainer-John Gosden; Jockey-Jimmy Fortune; SP-11/1
3RD-Irish History 3-9-00 Owner-Godolphin; Trainer-Mahmood Al Zarooni; Jockey-Mickael Barzalona; SP-11/1
10 ran; Time-1m 42.95s; Dist-3¼, 2¼ 9/4 Fav Homecoming Queen (8th)

2011-WINNER-IMMORTAL VERSE 3-9-00 Owner-Richard Strauss; Trainer-Robert Collet FR; Jockey-Gerald Mosse; SP-8/1
2ND-Nova Hawk 3-9-00 Owner-Ahmed Mouknass; Trainer-Rod Collet FR; Jockey-Stephane Pasquier; SP-9/2
3RD-Barefoot Lady 3-9-00 Owner-Helen Steel; Trainer-Richard Fahey; Jockey-Kieren Fallon; SP-16/1
12 ran; Time-1m 42.75s; Dist-2¼, ½ 7/2 Fav Together (5th)

2010-WINNER-LILLIE LANGTRY 3-9-00 Owner-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien
IRE; Jockey-Johnny Murtagh; SP-7/2 Fav
2ND-Gile Na Greine 3-9-00 Owner-Jackie Bolger & Harry Dobson; Trainer-Jim Bolger IRE; Jockey-Kevin Manning; SP-25/1
3RD-Jacqueline Quest 3-9-00 Owner-Noel Martin; Trainer-Henry Cecil; Jockey-Tom Queally; SP-6/1
13 ran; Time-1m 39.69s; Dist-1¼, 2¼

2009-WINNER-GHANAATI 3-9-00 Owner-Hamdan Al Maktoum; Trainer-Barry Hills; Jockey-Richard Hills; SP-2/1 Fav
2ND-Reggane 3-9-00 Owner-Haras de la Perelle; Trainer-Alain du Royer-Dupre FR; Jockey-Gerald Mosse; SP-9/1
3RD-Rainbow View 3-9-00 Owner-George Strawbridge; Trainer-John Gosden; Jockey-Jimmy Fortune; SP-13/2
10 ran; Time-1m 38.32s; Dist-2, 2¼

2008-WINNER-LUSH LASHES 3-9-00 Owner-Jackie Bolger; Trainer-Jim Bolger IRE; Jockey-Kevin Manning; SP-5/1
2ND-Infallible 3-9-00 Owner-Cheveley Park Stud; Trainer-John Gosden; Jockey-Jimmy Fortune; SP-11/2
3RD-Carribean Sunset 3-9-00 Owner-Dr Ronan Lambe; Trainer-Dermot Weld IRE; Jockey-Pat Smullen; SP-16/1
11 ran, Time-1m 39.23s, Dist-3¼, ¾ 9/4 Fav Spacious (4th)

2007-WINNER-INDIAN INK 3-9-00 Owner-Raymond Tooth; Trainer-Richard Hannon; Jockey-Richard Hughes; SP-8/1
2ND-Mi Emma 3-9-00 Owner-Rennstall Darboven; Trainer-Andreas Wohler GER; Jockey-Eddie Pedroza; SP-100/30 Jt Fav
3RD-Darjina 3-9-00 Owner- Princess Zahra Aga Khan; Trainer-Alain de Royer-Dupre FR; Jockey-Christophe Soumillon; SP-7/2
13 ran, Time-1m 42.26, Dist 6, hd 100/30 Joint Fav Finsceal Beo (8th)

2006-WINNER-NANNINA 3-9-00 Owner-Cheveley Park Stud; Trainer-John Gosden; Jockey-Jimmy Fortune; SP-6/1 Jt Fav
2ND-Flashy Wings 3-9-00 Owner-Jaber Abdullah; Trainer-Mick Channon; Jockey-Jamie Spencer; SP-13/2
3RD-Nasheej 3-9-00 Owner-Malih Al Basti; Trainer-Richard Hannon; Jockey-Ryan Moore; SP-20/1
15 ran, Time-1m 39.14s, Dist-2, ¾ 6/1 Jt Fav Price Tag (8th)

2005-WINNER-MAIDS CAUSEWAY 3-9-00 Owner-Martin Schwartz; Trainer-Barry Hills; Jockey-Michael Hills; SP-9/2
2ND-Karen’s Caper 3-9-00 Owner-Stonerside Stable LLC; Trainer-John Gosden; Jockey-Jimmy Fortune; SP-11/2
3RD-Mona Lisa 3-9-00 Owner-Michael Tabor; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Jamie Spencer; SP-25/1
10 ran, Time-1m 36.59s Dist-sh, 3½ 7/2 Fav Damson (7th) (run at York)

2004-WINNER-ATTRACTION 3-9-00 Owner-Duke of Roxburghe; Trainer-Mark Johnston; Jockey-Kevin Darley; SP- 6/4 Fav
2ND-Majestic Desert 3-9-00 Owner-Jaber Abdullah; Trainer-Mick Channon; Jockey-Ted Durcan; SP-25/1
3RD-Red Bloom 3-9-00 Owner-Cheveley Park Stud; Trainer-Sir Michael Stoute; Jockey-Kieren Fallon; SP-100/30
11 ran, Time-1m 38.54s Dist-2½, hd

2003-WINNER-RUSSIAN RHYTHM 3-9-00 Owner-Cheveley Park Stud; Trainer-Sir Michael Stoute; Jockey-Kieren Fallon; SP-4/7 Fav
2ND- Soviet Song 3-9-00 Owner-Elite Racing Club; Trainer-James Fanshawe; Jockey-Oscar Urbina; SP-9/2
3RD-Mail The Desert 3-9-00 Owner-Newsells Park Stud; Trainer-Mick Channon; Jockey-Steve Drowne; SP-14/1
9 ran, Time- 1m 38.51s Dist-1½, 3.

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