Idling along at the rear of the field for a large part of the race, the freak Crackman colt Ace Impact needed little more than a shake of the reins from Cristian Demuro to pick off runner after runner in Sunday’s Group 1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and stretch his unbeaten sequence to six.
With a Dancing Brave-like performance, Jean-Claude Rouget’s Prix du Jockey Club hero defeated the admirably honest Westover (Frankel) by one and three-quarter lengths with a short-head back to the fast-finishing Onesto (Frankel), making it a trifecta for the Frankel clan.
The Japanese raider Through Seven Seas covered herself in glory with a fast-finishing fourth.
Twelve months previously, the Arc was won by Frankel’s daughter Alpinista.
“I won with Sottsass three years ago, it was incredible because I started in Pau a long time ago,” Jean-Claude Rouget said.
“It’s a long way and two Arcs in four years is fantastic.
“I am like a very backward horse and I am just maturing now. So I hope I have a few good years again in front of me.
“I know how I started with jumpers and very bad Flat horses. With Millkom it was the first sign of a Classic career in 1994 and after we won with Le Havre and Stacelita and now we have a very strong stable.
“Thank you to all of my team. I have two teams now, one in Pau and one in Deauville. There is a lot of work always in a serious, serious way.
“We always say they are the best when they win, I think it is his strong acceleration. It is something I have never seen.
“I don’t know if he will go straight to the stud or run next year. It will be decided between the two owners and me, but I don’t know yet.”
A €75,000 Arqana August yearling, Ace Impact is the lone Group 1 winner for Darley Stud’s 4-time Group 1 winning Frankel stallion Cracksman.
A half-brother to stakes-placegetters Apollo Flight (Rock Of Gibraltar) and Alessandro (Australia), Ace Impact is the best of five winners from as many to race for the stakes-placed dam Absolutly Me (Anabaa Blue).
