Sea the Stars featured earlier in the week at Royal Ascot as the sire of Stradivarius and his German Derby winning son Sea the Moon also got a taste of the limelight when his three year-old filly Alpine Star captured the Group I Coronation Stakes (1m).
A homebred for the Niarchos family trained by Jessica Harrington, Alpine Star was having her first start for 2020 after ending a three start juvenile season ended with a win in the Group II Curragh Debutante Stakes.
Alpine Star scored a commanding four and a quarter length win in the race won by her champion half-sister Alpha Centauri two years ago.
“Alpine Star would definitely get a mile and a quarter, she did her best work at the end but I don't know about a mile and a half,” said winning rider Frankie Dettori.
“I'll leave that to Jessica and the Niarchos family to decide. I would say right now ten furlongs would be the best distance, but she's a good filly and won in good style.”
Alpha Centauri was the Champion European 3YO Miler of 2018 racking up four Group I wins, so Alpine Star has a way to go equal her achievements.
"Alpine Star is very laid-back and nothing like Alpha Centauri, who was a great big, very imposing filly," said Jessica Harrington.
"This filly is not very big, she's not a great colour – 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."
The pair are the best of among five winners from unraced Rahy mare Lupi, who is also the dam of another stakes-winner Tenth Star.
Alpha Lupi is a full sister to Tasmanian based sire Helike (USA), her dam being Miesque’s Group I winning daughter East of the Moon.
The family has already enjoyed Royal Ascot success this week as East of the Moon is also the third dam of three year-old Night of Thunder colt Molatham, who won the Group III Jersey Stakes.
Alpine Star is the first Group I winner for Sea the Moon, who stands at Lanwades Stud at a fee of 15,000 pounds and is the first son of Sea the Stars to go to stud.
