Alpinista provides Sir Mark Prescott with first Group success in four years

Sir Mark Prescott showed his potency with fillies remained as strong as ever as Alpinista provided the trainer with his first Group success in four years in the bet365 Lancashire Oaks.

Owned and bred by Kirsten Rausing, Alpinista showed a willing attitude under Luke Morris to grind out victory over 22-1 shot Lady Hayes in the Group 2 and potentially earn a return to the highest level.

Prescott's last Group victory came courtesy of Marsha in the 2017 Nunthorpe, following previous top-level wins with fillies Hooray, Confidential Lady and Albanova, a fellow Rausing homebred.

Morris, a trusted ally of the 73-year-old trainer, enjoyed great success with speed queen Marsha and has now won three times on Alpinista, who chased home Love in last year's Yorkshire Oaks.

"These are the horses you want to ride when you're getting up early in the morning and home late in the evening," the jockey said.

"We'd chosen not to run her a couple of times because of the ground, but they've rolled the dice and she seems to handle soft as well as firm."

Alpinista encountered soft ground for the first time in her career and the victory should open up more options.

Prescott's assistant trainer William Butler said: "We were slightly worried about the ground as she was so effective on firm last summer, but her class got her through and she's very game.

"She's a Group 2 winner, Group 1 second and dual Listed winner and you can pick your targets now. There are races like the Lillie Langtry [at Goodwood] and the Yorkshire Oaks and we'll make a plan."

Tashkhan looks a shrewd buy

Long-standing owner Patrick Boyle hailed Tashkhan as by far the best horse he has owned after his recent recruit won the £100,000 1m6f handicap for three-year-olds.

Trained by Brian Ellison, Tashkhan relished the rain-softened ground and ran out gutsy winner under 5lb claimer Harry Russell, who picked up a two-day whip ban (July 17-18).

Gold Cup winner Subjectivist finished second in the race last year and Boyle is hoping a horse he bought for "reasonable money" out of the Emmet Mullins stable in a private deal can go on to greater things.

"He's very exciting and there are lots of options," said Boyle. "The soft ground is key to him, a bit of cut really makes a difference."

On future targets, the owner added: "He's entered in the John Smith's Cup but I'm not sure he'll get in and there's the Melrose at York. He stayed well there so the two-mile races could be an option and he could run against the older horses."

Tashkhan returned at 16-5 having been 6-1 earlier in the day, but there was a Rule 4 deduction of 25p in the pound in winning bets as favourite Dhushan was withdrawn after losing a shoe at the start.

Big-race double for Balding

Following five seconds in the previous two days, trainer Andrew Balding overcame a bout of seconditis with a notable across-the-card double in the space of 15 minutes.

The 14-1 victory of the King Power-owned Alounak in the £100,000 bet365 Old Newton Cup was preceded by Auria's success in the Listed Coral Distaff at Sandown.

Alounak, who finished second in last year's Hardwicke Stakes, won for the first time since claiming a Group 3 at Baden Baden nearly two years ago for his previous trainer in Germany.

Winning rider Silvestre de Sousa said: "He did it very well and travelled really smartly. He's a German bred and I knew he would go on the ground. However, I don't think he shows his best on it."

There were five non-runners in the race from a total of 16 on the card after the ground was changed to soft, good to soft in places from good at the start of the day.

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