The unbeaten Arc hero Ace Impact has been retired and will stand at Haras De Beaumont.
Trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, Ace Impact was unraced as a juvenile and commenced his career at Cagnes-sur-Mer in February.
Winner of the Listed Prix Suresnes at Chantilly in May, the son of Cracksman was well-supported for the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) and produced an impressive turn of foot to beat Big Rock by three-and-a-half lengths.
The colt followed up with a similar performance in the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville, making him a warm favourite for the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Despite stepping up in trip and taking on his elders for the first time, Ace Impact started favourite for the autumn showpiece and showed his now characteristic last-to-first burst of speed to beat a high class field on easy fashion.
"The way he races and his acceleration is very rare in a racehorse," said Rouget.
"Very few racehorses are able to accelerate like that and for me [2008 Arc winner] Zarkava was a super champion and maybe had the superior acceleration, but he is not far from that.
"He gave me a great day when winning the Arc and also the Prix du Jockey Club and all the races were delicious. We started very slowly and then progressed to Listed, Group One and Group Two and then another Group One.
"We had very good days with Almanzor in the Prix du Jockey Club and Sottsass in the Jockey Club and the Arc and [they] were equally good champions. With Ace Impact his acceleration is stronger and with him, in three steps, the race is over.
"We have a few years to wait [before his progeny hit the track] and we will try to find another one like him.
"We are champion trainer for the fifth time in France thanks to Ace Impact.
"My memory of him will be he is he is not impressive in the morning, but when racing, he is another horse with very strong acceleration."
Ace Impact will commence stallion duties at part-owner Kamel Chehboub's Haras de Beaumont in 2024.
