'She's got the heart of a lion' - emotional groom revels in Alpinista Arc glory

Alpinista's devoted groom Annabel Willis lauded "the sweetest horse" and was reduced to tears after her pride and joy delivered on the biggest stage of all to win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Trainer Sir Mark Prescott and Luke Morris were similary moved after Alpinista held off the challenges of Vadeni and Torquator Tasso at Longchamp to provide them with breakthrough victories in the Arc.

"She means the absolute world to me and we've been together a long time now," said Willis. "She's just the sweetest horse and always tries so hard. She's so small but she's got the heart of a lion and I couldn't have been prouder watching her today."

The 23-year-old has been involved with the five-year-old since she arrived at Heath House Stables as a yearling in November 2018, a little more than a year after Willis joined the Prescott team in Newmarket.

Alpinista has since developed into a mighty racemare and has taken Willis to the biggest stages in France, Germany and Britain. A YouTube clip of Willis screaming home the grey mare during her battling Yorkshire Oaks victory has had more than half a million views.

But none of their many journeys across Europe will be remembered more fondly than this one to Paris, where Willis once again screamed Alpinista home and burst into tears as she crossed the line in front.

"I'm quite emotional," she said, "and I feel like if she were a person, she would be quite straightforward and would just say, 'Let's get on with the job'. So she has to hold my hand quite a lot.

"She's got an excellent temperament and I'm just so proud of this horse."

Read these next:

'I'm very lucky aren't I?' – awesome Alpinista earns Prescott glorious first Arc

2022 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe: where your horse finished and who won

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