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Al Jabbar and Royal Acclamation bid for Criterium glory

By Racing TV

Last Updated: Sat 24 Oct 2026

Charlie Appleby launches a twin assault on Sunday’s Criterium de Saint-Cloud after supplementing both Al Jabbar and Royal Acclamation.

Al Jabbar is the choice of William Buick after finishing third behind Roger Varian’s Rock Montreal in Newmarket’s Autumn Stakes, with newly-crowned champion jockey Billy Loughnane keeping the ride on Royal Acclamation having steered him to victory in a novice contest at Goodwood the following day.

“Royal Acclamation is a son of Zarak who loved the soft ground at Goodwood. Obviously that was a step up to nine (furlongs) and all the evidence suggests he’ll get further,” said the Moulton Paddocks handler.

“He’s obviously got a bit to find, stepping up to Pattern level for the first time, but he goes there in good shape, stays well and loves the ground.

“Al Jabbar ran a nice race finishing third in the Autumn Stakes, crying out for a step up in trip, and on all evidence we’ve seen he won’t mind the ground either.”

He added: “I feel both of those should be competitive. One is stepping up into Pattern company for the first time and one has tested the water and run a creditable race, but they will both stay and go in the ground.”

Aidan O’Brien saddles three of the seven runners, with Zetland Stakes winner Drumbeat seemingly the stable’s first string under Ryan Moore.

He is joined by Shakespeare (Christophe Soumillon) and Victory Speech (Wayne Lordan), both of whom have a bit to find judged on their recent efforts.

O’Brien said: “Drumbeat was good over the mile and a quarter in Newmarket and we always thought he would handle an ease (in the ground), so it will be interesting and he seems to be in good form.”

Joseph O’Brien sends Jesus Green, who finished second to Ballydoyle’s star juvenile Darkness Falls in the Golden Fleece at Leopardstown before opening his account with a facile success at Navan.

The other Group One juvenile prize up for grabs on the card is the Criterium International over a mile, in which Aidan O’Brien is represented by Killavullan Stakes winner Capability Brown (Moore) and Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere fifth Aix La Chapelle (Soumillon).

O’Brien added: “Capability Brown is going back up to a mile again and we think he’ll be happy with that. He seems to be comfortable with an ease in the ground as well and seems to be in good form.

“We always thought the other horse (Aix La Chapelle) would be happy going up to a mile, so hopefully he runs well.”

Appleby is looking forward to running First Law, who won his first two starts at Sandown and Haydock before finishing fourth behind O’Brien’s Haffner on quick ground in the Royal Lodge at Newmarket.

“First Law won on slow ground at Haydock but he was a bit free there at Newmarket, which wasn’t his character to be honest, so we’ve put a line through that,” said Appleby.

“His work’s been good since and I feel with these conditions, hopefully he’ll be competitive.”

Gymbaazy was last seen winning at Baden-Baden for Owen Burrows, who told Sky Sports Racing: “He won his Group Three in Germany and who knows how good a race that will work out to be, but his work has been very pleasing.

“The soft ground shouldn’t hold any fears for him, being by Siyouni we think he wants a big of juice in the ground.

“I’m looking forward to getting him out and I think we go there with a good, live, each-way chance.”

The raiding party is completed by the Ed Walker-trained Alfred Wallace, who won the Group Three Solario Stakes on his penultimate start but seemingly had his limitations exposed when stepped up to the highest level in the Lagardere.

“It would be great for him if he could nick a place and we’re still training him like a filly really,” said Walker.

“He’s a homebred of Rockcliffe Stud and we’re just trying to build a nice profile for the dam. He goes to the horses in training sale next week, but he’s in really good order and is such a tough and robust horse.”

Further Group One action comes with the Prix Royal-Oak, which features Amy Murphy’s Prix Chaudenay winner Jabracadabra up against the likes of Aidan O’Brien’s Queenstown and Amelia Earhart.

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