Alan Cooper

G1 Coronation S. winner Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), last seen finishing a short-neck second to Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Prix de Diane on July 5, could resurface in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on Aug. 16 if ground conditions play to her liking. "If all goes according to plan she could go to Deauville, but we just need to keep an eye on the ground," said Alan Cooper, racing manager to owner/breeder The Niarchos Family. "There's very hot weather...

'TDN Rising Star' Highest Ground (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was eye-catching while keeping his unbeaten record intact when winning a Haydock novice race on Wednesday, generating Derby whispers, but the Niarchos Family's homebred will bypass the July 4 G1 Investec Derby. The Sir Michael Stoute-trained son of Celestial Lagoon (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) is likely to target the G2 Dante S. at York on July 9 next. "The Derby comes too soon in his career," said Racing Manager Alan Cooper. "He's a nice horse in the making. He only ran two days...

While the world waits for better news, a clutch of exciting 3-year-olds wait in the wings for Classics that have now officially been delayed, and one such is 'TDN Rising Star' Highest Ground (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who is ticking over for Sir Michael Stoute. Impressive when winning his sole start at Leicester in September, the Niarchos family's homebred met with a setback afterwards but is reported in fine shape by the owners' racing manager Alan Cooper. It is forty years since the operation prevailed in Newmarket's G1 2000 with the...

The Niarchos Family sophomore's Albigna (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) returned from their winter break in good order and connections begin to look ahead toward Classic campaigns in 2020. Both fillies are trained by Jessica Harrington. Winner of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and the G3 Airlie Stud S. last fall, Albigna finished fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita. The daughter of Freedonia (GB) (Selkirk), who is the early favorite at 14-1 for the G1 1,000 Guineas at...