2024 marked the end of an era at Rathbarry Stud, as Acclamation stood his 21st and final season.
The son of Royal Applause has exceeded expectations throughout his career, both as a racehorse and a sire. He was a Group 2 and Listed winner for Gerald Cottrell, but some could argue that his best performances came in defeat. At a price of 16/1, he separated Choisir and Oasis Dream in the King’s Stand Stakes, despite breaking slowly and being denied a clear run a furlong from home. He stumbled at the start in the 2003 Nunthorpe, yet managed to finish third to the front-running Oasis Dream.
Those performances make you wonder what could have been, if luck was on his side, especially considering the talent he passed on to his progeny. His success as a sire was instantaneous, being crowned Leading First Season Sire due to his first crop producing Group 1 winners Dark Angel and Equiano, both of whom went on to sire top-flight winners themselves, the former set to be crowned champion sire for the 2024 season.
Ability, soundness and a will to win have seen Acclamation’s progeny deliver time and time again, their long and fruitful careers echoing that of himself at stud. Of stallions who continue to cover at the age of 25, how many will be responsible for two Group 1 winners that same year?
On that note, James McDonald provided the perfect line after partnering Romantic Warrior to his fifth consecutive Group/Grade 1 win in the Yasuda Kinen. “He’s got a heart of a lion and tremendous ability,” the jockey said after Danny Chum’s star registered his eight top-flight victory and 15th career win, bringing his earnings past the £15million mark.
Makarova is the most recent of Acclamation’s Group 1 winners, the five-year-old having gained a deserved Group 1 win on her final career start in the Prix de l’Abbaye. She is likely not the last, either, if Acclamation’s latest juvenile crop is anything to go by.
His two-year-olds include Queen Mary Stakes third Maw Lam, Stakes performer Assertively, Goffs 500 runner-up Mollie Foster and the 96-rated Last Encore. The future also looks bright for Angel Hunter, with Richard Hannon having described the 90-rated colt as “a horse for next year” following his win in a valuable race at York.
Hannon, of course, is no stranger to success with Acclamation, and he chose one of Acclamation’s sons as his favourite horse when interviewed by the Racing Post earlier this year. Overlooking his Group 1 winners, the trainer selected Oh This Is Us, saying: “He had the heart of a lion, loads of ability and was a pleasure to have anything to do with. Without a shadow of doubt he’s my favourite horse and always will be.” Hannon didn’t even allow Oh This Is Us to leave his yard, retiring the now 11-year-old free of charge, following a career of 17 wins and over £700,000 in earnings.
Hannon isn’t Acclamation’s only fan, understandably, as was evident at the 2024 yearling sales. His latest offerings sold for up to 500,000gns, €600,000, and 470,000gns, their popularity producing a clearance rate of 90% during what has been a challenging sales season.
Even after his final crops have run their last race, Acclamation’s legacy is ensured by his sons and daughters at stud. Dark Angel and Mehmas are his current leading lights of the stallion ranks, while his daughters have produced two Group 1 winners, another six Group 1 placed horses and 18 successful at Group 2 and 3 level.
