James Tate admits seeing Royal Aclaim win the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York would be ‘sweet’

Trainer James Tate grew up watching some of racing’s sprinting greats win the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York, which would make securing next week’s group one prize with Royal Aclaim even sweeter.

Injury has restricted the three-year-old filly to only three career successful starts and Royal Aclaim was promoted to 9-4 favourite for one of the feature races of York’s Ebor meeting after a two-length win in the Listed City Of Walls Stakes last month.

Newmarket-based Yorkshireman Tate said: ‘It certainly would be sweet. I have watched so many Nunthorpes in the flesh. I always used to go there as a young lad. I remember watching sprinters like Lyric Fantasy, Lochsong, Lochangel, Mozart and Stravinsky win. It would be a great day if it all could come together.

‘Royal Aclaim is an incredibly fast learner and has a lot of natural talent. The risks outweighed the pros in trying to squeeze another race in after her win at York and we felt she didn’t need to run again.

‘She has essentially had a course and distance trial — I think there were 30,000 there at York. I can’t imagine there will be any more on Nunthorpe day so she should cope with the occasion.’

Tate, who has said Royal Aclaim is the fastest horse he has trained, has had to be patient with the filly owned by Sheik Juma Dalmook Al Matoum since a winning debut at Newcastle in May last year. He added: ‘She has always had a huge amount of talent, it has just been a matter of getting her on the track to show it to everybody.

Therefore, winning next week’s group one prize with Royal Aclaim (above) would be a delight

‘We only knew in hindsight what she beat at Newcastle. She did a piece of work after that to get her ready for the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot and our jaws dropped when we realised what we really had. Unfortunately she was injured after that work. She never made it to the Queen Mary and she didn’t run again until Bath in June this year.

‘Everyone kept asking how she was but we knew we would have to wait until this year to run her again. Sheik Juma was really patient and she looks like repaying his patience.’

Tate, who has said Royal Aclaim (left) is the fastest horse he has trained, has had to be patient with the filly owned by Sheik Juma Dalmook Al Matoum

Tate has yet to win a group one race but his biggest wins have been secured in sprints with Invincible Army in the 2019 Duke Of York Stakes at York and Far Above in the 2020 Palace House Stakes at Newmarket. The Nunthorpe was won by a three-year-old filly last season in Tim Easterby-trained Winter Power and she will be back to attempt the defence of her crown on August 19.

The line-up is also likely to include Richard Fahey’s two-year-old The Platinum Queen and Charlie Hills-trained Glorious Goodwood winner Khaadem.

Tate said: ‘We know a thing or two about a nice sprinter and we are very hopeful she has got a favourite’s chance. There will be tougher horses than she has faced but we are very confident in our filly.’