Talking Horses: Alpinista’s Arc win a shot in the arm that racing needed

There is much more to a memorable racehorse and performance than a number on a handicapper’s spreadsheet

Baaeed was back home in Newmarket, Christophe Soumillon did his best to spoil the buildup and Alpinista, the winner, could struggle to make the top 10 when the international handicappers’ annual ratings are published in January. But many racing fans will fondly recall the 2022 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe long after a few of those to come have started to merge together just a little in the memory.

There was a time, even within the living memory of older generations of racegoers and punters, when a 50-horse yard such as Sir Mark Prescott’s Heath House, with the backing of a wealthy and committed owner-breeder in Kirsten Rausing, could challenge for the trainers’ championship if the stars aligned.