By Tom Frary
Smart over six furlongs at the start of last term, Aclaim moved up in trip for the first time in a mile handicap at Ascot in early September and duly collected before dropping down to this distance to win Newbury's Listed Dubai Duty Free Cup two weeks later. Upping his game to annexe the G2 Challenge S. again over this trip at Newmarket in October, the bay began his current campaign with a sixth in the G1 Lockinge S. returning to a mile at Newbury May 20 before finishing eighth in the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. tackling six furlongs at Royal Ascot June 24. Denied a clear run in that feature sprint, he was unlucky-in-running once more when under two-lengths sixth in the G2 Lennox S. back at this distance at Glorious Goodwood at the start of August. Second to Brando (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest over 6 1/2 furlongs at Deauville Aug. 6, he took the G2 Park S. over this trip and had the class edge here to bring up a first group 1 success for the Martyn Meade stable.
Always travelling strongly on the tail of the leader Karar against the rail, Aclaim was needing an out as the furlong marker approached but when angled around the long-time leader by Oisin Murphy overhauled that rival and compatriot So Beloved with just over 100 metres remaining en route to a decisive score. “He had run such a good race in the Maurice de Gheest and on that occasion needed 100 yards further and that is exactly what he got today,” Meade said. “He's a tough little horse. He tries so hard that he reduces me to tears. He comes to his best form at this time of year. The conditions were ideal today and he had had the ideal preparation. Winning a group one was something we had to do this year and now we've done it. My immediate reaction is not to run him again this year. He's won a group one and it's job done. I'm not sure if he stays in training next year.”
Aclaim's dam Aris was third in the Listed Flame of Tara S. over a mile and is a half-sister to the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine Again (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), herself the dam of the recent G2 Beresford S. runner-up and G3 Golden Fleece S. third Delano Roosevelt (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The second dam Cumbres also produced the G3 Give Thanks S. third Arkadina (Ire) (Danehill) and is out of Floripedes who captured the G3 Prix de Lutece and was runner-up in the G1 Prix Royal-Oak. She of course is the dam of the great Montjeu (Ire) who established his claim to immortality in the feature race on this card in 1999. Also from the family of last year's G1 2000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace S. hero Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) and Goldream (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) who took the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye also at this meeting two years ago, Aris also has an as-yet unraced 2-year-old colt by Dawn Approach (Ire) named Accept (Ire) and a yearling filly by Slade Power (Ire).
Sunday, Chantilly, France
QATAR PRIX DE LA FORET-G1, €300,000, CHY, 10-1, 3yo/up, 7fT, 1:25.75, sf.
1–ACLAIM (IRE), 128, c, 4, by Acclamation (GB)
1st Dam: Aris (Ire) (SP-Ire), by Danroad (Aus)
2nd Dam: Cumbres (Fr), by Kahyasi (Ire)
3rd Dam: Floripedes, by Top Ville (Ire)
(€130,000 Ylg '14 GOFORB). O-Canning Downs & Partner; B-D Farrington & Canning Downs (IRE); T-Martyn Meade; J-Oisin Murphy. €171,420. Lifetime Record: MGSW-Eng & GSP-Ire, 15-7-1-1, €545,801. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–So Beloved (GB), 128, g, 7, Dansili (GB)–Valencia (GB), by Kenmare (Fr). (35,000gns 4yo '14 TAJUL). O-Thoroughbred British Racing; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-David O'Meara. €68,580.
3–Karar (GB), 128, g, 5, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–In the Light (GB), by Inchinor (GB). (55,000gns Wlg '12 TATFOA; 120,000gns Ylg '13 TAOCT; €200,000 2yo '14 ARMAY). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-James Wigan (GB); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €34,290.[bullet ad=”mandore-purchased-by”]Margins: 3/4, SHD, HD. Odds: 3.20, 31.70, 8.30.
Also Ran: Dame du Roi (Ire), Zalamea (Ire), Zelzal (Fr), Brando (GB), Toscanini (Ire), Attendu (Fr), Realtra (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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