ALTHIQA, Angel Bleu and Pyledriver won at the highest level in 2021, while 15 others with shared features won a Group 2 or Group 3: they are all Irish- or British-trained granddaughters or grandsons of Acclamation (Royal Applause). If you cast the net wider, the numbers increase.

Acclamation is a valuable source of stallion sons. His juvenile Group 1 winner Dark Angel is long-established as a leading sire, while Equiano, Harbour Watch and rising star Mehmas joined him in supplying those 18 pattern winners. Aclaim looks likely to join the list in 2022; he made an eye-catching start as a freshman, with three blacktype earners among his long list of winners.

The dual listed-placed, Jerome Reynier-trained Jacinda (dam by Manduro) was runner-up in the Group 2 Premio Dormello in Rome, Beautiful Black (dam by Sea The Stars) was stakes-placed in Italy, and Cachet (dam by Teofilo) was among England’s leading juvenile fillies.

The George Boughey trainee Cachet had a busy campaign and, having run away with a six-furlong maiden on the Rowley Mile course at Newmarket in May, she went on to a string of good blacktype efforts, notably chasing home Hello You in the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes and third to champion Inspiral in the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile.

Cachet rounded off her campaign with a close fourth to Pizza Bianca in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf over a mile at Del Mar, missing Grade 1 blacktype by just a head having made a gallant attempt to make the running. That 1000 Guineas entrant is rated 109, just 6lbs behind Inspiral.

Aclaim, who is out of a half-sister to Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas and Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes heroine Again (Danehill Dancer), is a grandson of Cumbres (Kayhasi), a half-sister to the brilliant Montjeu (Sadler’s Wells), an outstanding source of Derby horses. As a racehorse, Aclaim showed his sire’s speed, winning his only start at two, before going on to add the Group 1 Prix de la Foret and Group 2 Challenge Stakes over seven furlongs and chase home half-length winner Brando in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest over half a furlong less.

As a stallion, he is already showing an ability to pass on speed as well as getting milers, and this plus the Montjeu connection suggests he will also get some who excel at 10 furlongs. He had a €100,000 Goffs Orby yearling last year, a 150,000gns Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up colt and has been consistently popular with breeders.

Aclaim’s profile always suggested better results with three-year-olds and older horses in addition to the inevitable winning juveniles, so this year we can expect to see Cachet and/or others by him add his name to the list of Acclamation sires of group winners.

ACLAIM (IRE), Bay 2013. Won seven races, £441,316, from 6 furlongs to 1 mile, 2 to 4 years including, Qatar Prix de la Foret, Chantilly, Gr.1, Alan Wood Plumbing/Heating Park Stakes, Doncaster, Gr.2, Dubai 100 Challenge Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.2, Dubai Duty Free Cup Stakes, Newbury, L, also placed second in LARC - Prix Maurice de Gheest, Deauville, Gr.1, and third in Bar One Racing Lacken Stakes, Naas, Gr.3.

Retired to Stud in 2018, and sire of the winners of 45 races, and £564,568, including Cachet (IRE), Jacinda (GB) and Beautiful Black (GB)

Stands at: The National Stud, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 0XE, England.

Contact: Joe Grimwade, Anna Kerr or Bethany Howard

Telephone: +44 (0)1638 675929 or +44 (0)1638 675934

Email: stallions@nationalstud.co.uk

Web: www.nationalstud.co.uk

Fee: £6,000