Alphonse Le Grande completes rare double in historic Newmarket handicap
Alphonse Le Grande produced a late surge to deny Sea Lantern and land the Club Godolphin Cesarewitch at Newmarket, becoming only the second-ever horse to win the long-standing handicap on two occasions. The Tony Martin-trained seven-year-old prevailed by a short head after a fiercely contested finish, with Dawn Rising—last year’s runner-up—taking third and High Fibre fourth.
A finish decided in the final strides
Racing into the closing stages, Sea Lantern established the lead inside the final furlong, but Alphonse Le Grande, ridden by 5lb claimer Patrick McGettigan, rallied strongly to reel him in and claim the verdict on the nod. The margin separating the pair was determined by the photo-finish, underscoring how closely fought the renewal proved to be.
Trainer reflects on campaign and the horse’s resilience
Trainer Tony Martin highlighted the toughness and consistency of Alphonse Le Grande. He noted that the gelding had shown an ability to bounce back following a recent run at the Curragh and that the prevailing ground conditions at Newmarket suited him. Martin also emphasised the positive impact of the partnership with McGettigan, pointing to the rider’s patience and willingness to ride positively when instructed.
Martin’s yard has now overseen two Cesarewitch victories with the same horse; Alphonse Le Grande previously won the race two years earlier, joining Aaim To Prosper as one of the few dual winners in the modern era.
Sea Lantern and connections left encouraged despite narrow defeat
Brian Ellison, the trainer of Sea Lantern, praised his colt’s performance and suggested the run confirmed the horse’s quality and potential to step into higher grades. Although disappointed to lose by such a small margin, Ellison described Sea Lantern’s effort as a notable one and expressed optimism about future targets.
Implications for the autumn and next season
With Alphonse Le Grande only seven, connections indicated plans to consider further campaigns while ensuring the horse returns home sound. The win underlines the staying prowess of the gelding and preserves options for staying contests next season, particularly at fixtures where similar ground and trip can be found.
Sea Lantern’s performance also attracted attention from owners and trainers looking for staying recruits with a relaxed temperament and the ability to finish strongly in large-field handicaps and pattern races. Dawn Rising’s solid placing again confirmed her affinity for the trip and the Newmarket course on Cesarewitch day.
Racegoers and festival context
The Cesarewitch remains one of Britain’s most prestigious long-distance handicaps and a highlight of the autumn flat-racing calendar at Newmarket. The result will be discussed by handicappers and connections as they map out late-season and early-season targets for prominent stayers in training.
For Alphonse Le Grande, the victory cements his place in the race’s recent history and offers the connections the luxury of choice over his next assignments, provided he returns from the contest in good order.
This article may have been prepared in whole or in part with the assistance of artificial intelligence.
