‘An incredible journey’ – Morris pays tribute to Alpinista

‘I’m extremely privileged… I was extremely lucky to be able to ride her’.

Luke Morris can look back at Alpinista’s racing career with great fondness and great pride as the man who steered her six Group One victories – culminating in that momentous day in Paris last month.

While widely considered as one of the weighing room’s hardest working jockeys, Morris is not a regular diner at the top table.

The 34-year-old broke his top-level duck aboard the Clive Cox-trained Gilt Edge Girl in the 2010 Prix de l’Abbaye, a feat he repeated six years later on board Sir Mark Prescott’s Marsha – a high-class sprinter who also provided him with a first British Group One in the following year’s Nunthorpe.

But in Alpinista Morris finally found his horse of a lifetime, guiding her to all but one of her 10 career triumphs including those six Group Ones in three different countries – a run which reached its climax as she sauntered clear in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

After picking up a minor injury, Alpinista will not have one final hurrah in next month’s Japan Cup. But Morris is fully aware of the “incredible journey” she has taken him on.

“I’m extremely privileged and I was extremely lucky to be able to ride her,” he said modestly.

“To win six Group Ones on the spin was a massive achievement, culminating in the Arc, and I can’t thank Sir Mark, Miss (Kirsten) Rausing (owner-breeder) and all the team at Heath House enough.

“It’s been an incredible journey and I’ll look back on her career very fondly.”

Alpinista’s first three wins at the highest level all came in Germany last year, while Saint-Cloud in France was the stage for her first of this season.

Luke Morris celebrates with Alpinista at ParisLongchamp
Luke Morris celebrates with Alpinista at ParisLongchamp (PA)

She then dispelled any notion she reserved her best performances for on the continent when downing last weekend’s Breeders’ Cup heroine Tuesday in August’s Yorkshire Oaks before bringing the house down at ParisLongchamp by sealing one of the most popular Arc wins in recent memory.

Morris acknowledges he may never throw his leg over another horse like Alpinista – but hopes her achievements may open up further opportunities for him going forward.

He added: “She’s been wonderfully handled by Sir Mark and all the team and she’s just been marvellous – she never never once let us down.

“It’s fantastic that Miss Rausing is now going to have her back at Lanwades (Stud). Hopefully she can be just as successful as a broodmare.

“Hopefully we find another good one somewhere along the line and hopefully it may open up a door or two. I’ll just keep working hard and hopefully another nice one comes along again.”

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