Tate ‘not averse’ to stepping up in trip with Royal Aclaim

James Tate is not ruling out a step up to six furlongs with his talented filly Royal Aclaim.

The four-year-old caught the eye last season when winning a Bath novice in June and then going on to comfortably land the Listed City Walls Stakes at York in July.

That form was stacked on top of a debut win the previous season when the daughter of Aclaim defeated Richard Fahey’s subsequent Group One winner Perfect Power on the all-weather.

After the York success a return to the Knavesmire for the Nunthorpe was the next target for Royal Aclaim, but the race did not go to plan and she was sixth of 13 runners.

Connections regrouped and headed to France for the Group Three Prix du Petit Couvert at ParisLongchamp, a race in which the filly was third on soft ground behind subsequent Group Three winner Coeur De Pierre and ahead of Prix de l’Abbaye runner-up White Lavender.

Royal Aclaim is now preparing for the new season and is likely to be seen again in May, with a step up to six furlongs under consideration as her campaign is pondered.

Tate said: “She’s good, she’s cantering and swimming away. There are races for her in April but I think it’s more likely she’ll reappear in May.

“The ground was a little bit softer than ideal in France, there was a little bit of a golden strip by the rail that day that she didn’t quite get on to.

“The form stacked up well in the Abbaye, those horses that were in and around her were placed in that a couple of weeks later.

“There was nothing wrong with that run, I’d like to think she’s got the scope to progress more this year and I wouldn’t be averse to trying six (furlongs) with her one day too as she seems to relax well, so that could be something to look forward to through the year.”