The Acclamation sireline is flying in Europe and his latest son to be given a chance at stud is Saturday’s G1 Middle Park Stakes runner-up Lilbourne Lad.
He will stand alongside Acclamation at Rathbarry Stud in 2012.
Lilbourne Lad (2c Acclamation – Sogno Verde by Green Desert) has developed into one of the leading juveniles of his generation since winning a Doncaster maiden in April.
Trainer Richard Hannon sent him to Ireland for six length victory in the LR Rochestown Stakes at Naas and a convincing win over Tough As Nails in the G2 Railway Stakes at the Curragh.
Tough As Nails is a son of Acclamation’s leading first-season sire Dark Angel.
Lilbourne Lad returned home for a G2 second in the Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster and then did best of the stand-side division when runner-up to Coolmore colt Crusade on Saturday.
Lilbourne Lad will be retired after a final outing in the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs next month. “He’s been tough and consistent all season,” Rathbarry Stud’s Paul Cashman said on Sunday. “He is a very correct, deep-bodied horse with a fluent action and is a real credit to his sire.”
Dark Angel set a precedent for Lilbourne Lad when he retired to stud after a brilliant juvenile season which included a G1 victory in the 2007 Middle Park Stakes.
He stands at Yeomanstown Stud in Ireland and is off to a sensational start with 26 individual winners of 42 races in Europe so far this year.
Swettenham Stud owner Adam Sangster anticipated Acclamation’s rise to prominence when began shuttling Equiano to Australia this season.
Like Dark Angel, Equiano is a member of Acclamation’s first crop and he maintained the sire’s momentum in 2008 with a G1 victory over Aussie champion Takeover Target in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.
He returned to win the King’s Stand again in 2010 when the beaten division included Nicconi.
Equiano covered 128 mares in his first northern book at Newsells Park in Hertfordshire earlier this year. He stands at Swettenham for a $15,000 (inc gst) service fee.