Alpha sensational for Mastercraftsman

Alpha Centauri (3f Mastercraftsman-Alpha Lupi, by Rahy) confirmed herself one of the outstanding three-year-old fillies of recent years with another G1 success in France on Sunday.

The Mastercraftsman filly bagged her fourth successive G1 of the year when putting in a supreme performance to take the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois by two and a half lengths.

Trained by Jessica Harrington for owner-breeders the Niarchos family, Alpha Centauri has also tasted victory in this season’s G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas, G1 Coronation Stakes and G1 Falmouth Stakes.

"She's an amazing filly. I must admit, bringing her here to take on colts and older horses, I thought I must be mad,” said Harrington. “But then again, I felt we might as well keep her going and it was a fantastic performance.

"Three furlongs down she decided it was time to go, which was longer from the finish than I'd hoped, but I could see on the screen that she had the group on the far side behind her and once given her head, she just kept going away from them.

"When she does that, you hope she's not burning up too much energy because there are several possibilities now.

"She's in the G1 Matron Stakes at Leopardstown, the G1 Sun Chariot at Newmarket and the mile at Ascot (G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes) and if she does make it through to the Breeders' Cup, it will have been a very long season by then.”