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'I always scream like that watching Alpinista - I'm very much all in'

Alpinista's groom tells Nick Pulford about love, the Arc and that YouTube clip

Annabel Willis with Alpinista at Heath House Stables
Annabel Willis with Alpinista at Heath House StablesCredit: Edward Whitaker

Pride and joy. It's a phrase often used about those we care for, but rarely demonstrated as vividly as it was by Annabel Willis on Yorkshire Oaks day.

As Alpinista battled to her first Group 1 victory on home soil, her devoted groom was a bouncing, shouting, urging ball of excitement in the middle of the parade ring. This was pure passion and people loved it. A 30-second YouTube clip of her wildly energetic performance has had more than half a million views.

Willis laughs when the subject comes up. "I couldn't help myself. I always scream like that when I'm watching her," she says. "Normally I try to go somewhere more private but being in the middle of the parade ring it was kind of hard to hide.

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