But getting down to the straight facts, Alpinista, a 5yo grey mare bred by owner Karen Raustig, trained by Sir Mark Prescott, ridden by Luke Morris, lovingly looked after by Annabel Willis, ploughed through the mud at Longchamp to win the 2022 Gran Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe by ½ length from the fast-finishing Valdeni, a great run from the 3yo tackling the trip for the first time, and a flying Torquator Tasso, last year's winner.

Prescott has always been meticulous in placing his horses – such as taking Alpinista to Germany for her 3 G1 wins, and having worked closely with Monty Roberts is very mindful of his horses and does not run them into the ground. It remains to be seen if she will run again or go home to Ms Raustig's for her future career.

As expected Broome and Titleholder dashed to the front of course that could not be sustained on the very soggy ground, which was the undoing of several other fancied runners although we have heard that Luxembourg tweaked something and was in the hands of the vet after the race – not career ending but sufficient to explain the run or lack of run.