Full-sister to Alpha Centauri set to debut for Harrington at Leopardstown

Jessica Harrington will unleash a sister to the outstanding pair of Alpha Centauri and Alpine Star in the opening juvenile fillies' maiden (1.20) at Leopardstown on Thursday.

Discoveries, owned and bred by the Niarchos family, is the ninth foal out of the unraced Rahy mare Alpha Lupi - herself a full or half-sister to four black-type performers - and a full-sister to the same connections' outstanding Alpha Centauri.

Alpha Centauri, who produced a Galileo filly this year, won her first two starts at two and was second in the Albany before a brilliant three-year-old campaign.

Winner of the Irish 1,000 Guineas, Coronation, Falmouth and Prix Jacques le Marois in 2018, the daughter of Mastercraftsman finished her career when second to Laurens in that season's Matron Stakes.

The pair are half-sisters to last season's Coronation Stakes heroine Alpine Star, also owned and bred by the Niarchos family and who proved a consistent performer in 2020.

The daughter of Sea The Moon landed the Debutante Stakes at two and was also second in the Prix de Diane, Prix Jacques le Marois and Prix de l'Opera. She remains in training this term.

Alpha Lupi has also produced Tenth Star, a Listed-winning son of Dansili who was also second in the Royal Lodge Stakes, and the winning Danehill Dancer mare Elitiste.

Among Discoveries 13 rivals are the once-raced Juddmonte homebred Juncture, a Dark Angel filly out of an unraced Frankel half-sister to Group 1 winner Promising Lead, Madonnadelrosario, a Caravaggio half-sister to Prix Morny and Coventry winner The Wow Signal, and the once-raced Simply Glorious, a War Front full-sister to U S Navy Flag and Roly Poly.

Read more

'There was nothing of her in December but she's put on weight and condition'

Buyers hold upper hand after day one of Magic Millions National Yearling Sale

Speed gene sheds light on why Mac Swiney rather than Poetic Flare is Derby type