Acclamation
Bay, 1999, 16hh
retired sound in wind and limb
SIRE: Royal Applause
DAM: Princess Athena (Ahonoora)
Proven Multiple Group 1 Sire incl. ROMANTIC WARRIOR Winner of Gr.1 Cox Plate, Gr.1 QE11 Cup (twice),
Gr.1 Longines Hong Kong Cup, Hong Kong Derby
A Leading European Active Broodmare Sire by Winners & Black Type Winners – 11 Individual Stakes Winners in 2023 (to 23/10/2023)
Yearlings in 2023 sold for: €280,000, €240,000, €110,000, £100,000, 100,000 gns, 90,000 gns, 85,000 gns, etc.
Gr.2 Winning & Dual Gr.1 Placed Top Class Sprinter
DEFEATED 11 INDIVIDUAL Gr.1 WINNERS
Winner of 6 races, €600,000 from 2 to 4 years (5-6f), won or placed 15 times from 16 starts (10 Group or Listed Races) incl.:
Won Gr.2 Diadem Stakes, Ascot, 6f, in 1m 12.6s (-3.51s), beating Lochridge, Fayr Jag and Airwave.
Won LR Starlit Stakes, Goodwood, 6f, in 1m9.88s (-3.3s)
Won St Leger Yearling S., Doncaster 6f. by 21/2 lengths, at 2, beating Captain Rio, Fayr Jag, etc.
Won Cantor Novice Stakes, Newbury, 5f at 2.
Won EBF Maiden Stakes, Sandown, 5f, by 2 lengths at 2.
Won Conditions Stakes, Doncaster, 6f.
2nd Gr.2 King’s Stand Stakes, Royal Ascot, 5f, (1l to Choisir), beating Oasis Dream, Dominica,Elusive City, Captain Rio, Bahamian Pirate, Firebolt.
2nd LR Dragon Stakes, Sandown, 5f at 2.
3rd Gr.1 Nunthorpe S., York, 5f, (to Oasis Dream) beating Dominica, Bahamian Pirate and Continent
3rd Gr.2 Diadem S., Ascot, 6f (on seasonal debut) beating Polar Way, Bahamian Pirate, Three Points
3rd Gr.2 Temple Stakes, Sandown, 5f, (to Airwave)
4th Gr.1 Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp, 5f, beating Airwave, Somnus, Lochridge, Bahamian Pirate.
5th Gr.1 Hong Kong Sprint, Sha Tin, 5f (to Silent Witness)
CREATING HIS OWN LEGACY
DARK ANGEL 4 wins incl. Gr.1 Middle Park S., Gr.2 Mill Reef S., Sire
MEHMAS 4 wins incl. Gr.2 Qatar Richmond S., Gr.2 July S., Sire
ROMANTIC WARRIOR 11 wins incl. Gr.1 Cox Plate, Gr.1 QE11 Cup (twice), Gr.1 Hong Kong Cup, Hong Kong Derby, Gr.2 Bochk Jockey Club Cup
MARSHA 7 wins incl. Gr.1 Prix de l’Abbaye, Gr.1 Nunthorpe S. and Gr.3 Palace House S. Sold for a record breaking 6 million Guineas.
EQUIANO 7 wins incl. Gr.1 King’s Stand S., (twice), Gr.3 Palace House S., LR Abernant S., Sire
ACLAIM 7 wins incl. Gr.1 Qatar Prix De La Foret, Gr.2 Park S., Gr.2 Challenge S., Sire
BOUTTEMONT 6 wins incl. Gr.3 Prix de Meautry, LR Prix Hampton, placed 6 times viz Gr.3 Mercury Stakes, Gr.3 Prix de Ris-Orangis (twice), LR Prix Servannne
EXPERT EYE 5 wins incl. Gr.1 Breeders Cup Mile, Gr.2 Qatar Vintage S., Gr.3 Jersey S., Gr.3 City of York S., Sire
MY SISTER NAT Gr.3 Waya S. (twice), Gr.3 Prix Bertrand de Tarragon, placed Gr.1 Flower Bowl S., (twice), Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf
A LEADING DAMSIRE
11 Individual Stakes Winners in 2023 (to 23/10/23) incl. BROOME: Gr.2 Dubai Gold Cup, third Gr.2 Yorkshire Cup, Gr.2 Doncaster Cup, POINT LONSDALE: Gr.2 Huxley Stakes, Gr.3 Alleged Stakes, third Gr.1 Coronation Cup, DIEGO VELAZQUEZ: Gr.2 Golden Fleece Stakes, JUMBY: Gr.3 John of Gaunt Stakes, second Gr.3 Criterion Stakes, LETSBEFRANKABOUTIT: Gr.3 Round Tower Stakes, TURF KING: Gr.3 Marine Stakes, third in Jersey Derby, TIGER BELLE: Gr.3 Prix d’Arenberg, LR Marwell Stakes, MEGARRY: LR Blenheim Stakes, ROGUE LIGHTNING: LR Scarbrough Stakes, second LR Rose Bowl Stakes, third LR Prix Ronde de Nuit, BOLTHOLE: LR Grand Prix de Compiègne, LR Grand Prix de Bordeaux, second Gr.3 Prix Gontaut-Biron, Gr.3, Grand Prix de Vichy, third LR HH The Amir Trophy, LR Qatar Gold Trophy, KNOCK ON: LR Prix de Saint-Cyr, third LR Prix de Pontarmé, fourth LR Prix La Camargo.
A LIVING LEGEND
Acclamation’s ever-deepening influence continues to expand as his progeny break new ground both on and off the track.
The late Liam Cashman’s acquisition proved inspired when Acclamation produced a pair of Group 1 winners from his first crop; that achievement only bettered when both horses went on to become Group 1 sires. Now an established sire of sires, and an emerging damsire, Acclamation’s own star shows no sign of waning, as demonstrated by Romantic Warrior’s landmark Cox Plate victory.
Danny Shum’s charge became the first Hong Kong-trained winner of the prestigious Group 1, and became the second ever to win an Australian Group 1. Michael Kinane, who selected Romantic Warrior as a yearling, later described the four-time Group 1 winner as “a rarity.” The five-year-old’s abilities are quite remarkable, in that he has won from six to ten furlongs, amassed over €11million in prize money, and never finished out of the first four.
It was perhaps unsurprising then, that an Acclamation gelding bred on a similar cross to Romantic Warrior was knocked down for 4,000,000 HKD (€470,000) at the 2023 Hong Kong International Sale. The purchase of Rathbarry’s Acclamation colt for €280,000 by the Hong Kong Jockey Club at the 2023 Goffs Orby Sale headlined the strong demand for Acclamation throughout the sales season with buyers including Blandford Bloodstock, Peter and Ross Doyle, Donnacha O’Brien, Robin O’Ryan, SackvilleDonald, Dwayne Woods, etc.
Buyers were encouraged by Acclamation’s smart juveniles in 2023, led by Group 3 winner Orne and a second stakes win for the highly rated French sprinter, Bouttemont, who will be looking to perpetuate his sires’ successful line when he retires to Rathbarry for the 2024 season.