Jean-Claude Rouget’s stable star maintained his unbeaten record with a snug success in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano at Deauville.
The three-year-old colt created a taking impression when coming from off the pace to beat recent Prix Jacques Le Marois runner-up Big Rock in the Prix de Jockey Club in June.
The Jean-Claude Rouget-trained runner had been off the track for 87 days prior to this afternoon's success and was keen in the early stages. Settled towards the rear of the field under Cristian Demuro, the pair found themselves with only one behind as Ace Impact's pacemaker and stablemate Cambronne strode on to ensure the gallop was true.
Aidan O'Brien's Victoria Road and Greenland both looked to have every chance turning for home, but neither could mount a challenge and it was Birr Castle who first laid to down to the longtime leader Cambronne. The pacemaker backed out of it shortly after and Birr Castle briefly struck the front, the eye was always drawn to Ace Impact, who produced a smart turn of foot to come with a sweeping well-timed run to pass all his rivals in the closing stages.
National Stakes winner Al Riffa stayed on well to grab the second spot, but he was ultimately no match for Ace Impact, who found himself comfortable three-quarters of a length in front at the line. Birr Castle finished a further head back in third with Greenland coming home to fill fourth.
Speaking with www.thoroughbreddailynews.com, Rouget said: "We will have to discuss his future with the partners (Gousserie Racing and Ecuries Serge Stempniak) – either he will have another race before the Arc or go straight to the big one,"
"We will have less pressure on than we did today, as these races are very difficult to call beforehand. There is a lot at stake with a horse that is an undefeated, brilliant winner of the Prix du Jockey Club and who has been partly sold since.
"You don't want to lose, you don't know if the horse still wants to fight if the race will be tactical, if he is ready enough knowing very well that he is not 100 per cent because that's how I do things.
"You could see early in the race that he was keen because he is fresh, but once the race went into a good rhythm, he relaxed.
"He showed the same acceleration and just idled a bit at the end, as he needed the race. It is a big relief for all the reasons I mentioned."
Paddy Power left the winner unchanged as the 7/2 market leader for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October, while Coral pushed Jean-Claude Rouget's charge out half a point to 9-2 from 4-1.
