Alpha Centauri and Jessica Harrington - Revisited

 Alpha Centauri and Jessica Harrington - Revisited

Alpha Centauri was a cracking filly, she won 4 G1's on the bounce and finished up as Irish Horse Of The Year, Champion Three-Year-Old Filly and World's Best Three-Year-Old Filly in 2018. What attributes did she have that you think made her so special?

Alpha Centauri was a very big, strong filly. She was at least 16.2hh and weighed 530kg when she came into me as a yearling! Despite her size she ran early as a two year old winning her maiden at Naas and then a listed race thereafter before finishing 2nd in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot. As a three year old we discovered that she really liked top of the ground as she got beaten in the Moyglare Stakes as a two year old on softish ground and then also as a three year old first time out. She then bounced back from that to win the Irish 1,000 Guineas which was the first of four Group 1 wins on the trot for her as a three year old. Her best attributes were that she had a great temperament, she was very laid back but she could also be feisty when she wanted to be! Lastly, she stayed the mile very, very well.


She's now a broodmare, and has a Galileo colt. What qualities do you think she brings to the breeding side of racing, and what do you hope she'll pass down the line to her progeny?

Physically, I hope that she will pass down her toughness and her attitude as well as size and scope to her progeny. I have seen her Galileo yearling and he is very nice, he should end up grey but at the moment he is chestnut and grey. As regards breeding, she's very very well bred herself and her relations are keeping the pedigree hot with sister Alpine Star winning a Group 1 last year for me.


Alpha Centauri's dam, Alpha Lupi has also produced another stunning filly in Alpine Star. You also train Alpine Star, are the pair similar in demeanour on and off the track?
No, they are so different it's unbelievable! Alpha Centauri is a big, large, scopey filly whereas you wouldn't notice Alpine Star in the string. She's chestnut which isn't a very good colour, she's also not over-big and she's usually quiet but when she gets onto the gallop she's pretty feisty like her sister.


Where does Alpha Centauri rank with other fillies/mares you've trained?
She would have to be the best filly that I have ever trained - so far!


What was your best memory of her on the track, the day that stands out most to you?
The best memory that I have of Alpha Centauri on the track would have to be winning the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh. This day stands out most to me because she gave me my first ever Classic winner but a close second would have to be winning the Coronation Stakes as she then also gave me my first Royal Ascot winner.

Thanks so much Jessie! It was great to look back on a massive, world class filly like Alpha Centauri! 

More editions of Revisited to follow.