The first grand-son of Frankel to go to stud, undefeated Cracksman colt Ace Impact has been retired to Haras de Beaumont Stud in Normandy, bowing out of a flawless racing career following his dominant win in the Group I Longchamp Arc de Triomphe.
Trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, Ace Impact won his maiden in January this year and reeled off five subsequent wins highlighted by his Group I Prix du Jockey Club win and of course the Arc, read about his win here.
Ace Impact was given a rating of 128 by the international handicappers of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, making him the leading three-year-old in the world, European horse of the year-elect, and just a pound shy of joining Equinox at the very summit of world racing.
"Ace Impact produced six perfect performances. It has been an amazing year for everyone who supports and loves this horse,” said Rouget.
"Real acceleration is the gift possessed by only the top-notchers. There are a certain number of very good horses but champions like him are rare. Ace Impact was one of the few that showed such devastating acceleration, he is among the real exceptions.
"It's great that he will go to stud basking in the glow of these victories and it is so rare to string together a series like he did, winning the Jockey Club and the Arc."
A fee will be announced in due course by the team at Haras de Beaumont and stud director Mathieu Alex and his owners are committed to giving Ace Impact every chance to succeed at stud.
"To welcome an athlete of the calibre of Ace Impact to Haras de Beaumont is an extraordinary privilege," said Alex.
"Blessed with spectacular acceleration, his record-breaking Classic victory had already provoked a huge amount of interest among French and foreign breeders. We have come back from Newmarket where it is obvious the horse is a real star, which is remarkable given he never raced abroad.
"To stand this record-breaker in France, on our own Normandy soil, is a source of great pride."