Apart from Royal Applause she produced the European Champion Two-Year-Old Filly, Lyric Fantasy, and the Dewhurst Stakes winner, In Command.

Royal Applause started as the odds-on favourite at York, but after leading for most of the race he was strongly challenged in the final furlong by Tumbleweed Ridge and had to be driven out to hold on and win by a head.

[11] On his final race of the season Royal Applause was stepped up to the highest level for the Group One Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket.

"[citation needed] In the final stages he pulled well clear of his rivals to record an "impressive" four length win over the Anglesey Stakes winner Woodborough, with Kahir Almaydan third.

[12] He was offered at prices between 8/1 and 16/1 for the one mile 2000 Guineas but Barry Hills advised caution as, in his opinion, the colt was essentially a sprinter: "I would tend to think he's got a lot of natural speed and will probably stay at six furlongs.

"[13] Despite Hills' reservations, Royal Applause began his three-year-old season by being sent straight to the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket without a trial race.

Hills attempted to make all the running, but after leading for six furlongs, Royal Applause tired in the last quarter-mile and finished tenth of the thirteen runners behind Mark of Esteem.

[2] A month later he was dropped in class and won a minor stakes race over six furlongs at Doncaster, leading all the way under Kieren Fallon and beating his old rival Russian Revival by a neck.

[14] On his final start, he was moved back up to Group One level for the Haydock Sprint Cup, but after leading early he weakened in the closing stages to finish ninth of the eleven runners.

He opened up a clear lead in the last two furlongs and despite drifting towards the centre of the track in the closing stages he stayed on to win by a length and a half from Blue Goblin.

The result, which was greeted by silence from the crowd,[20] was so unexpected that Compton Place's trainer was called before the stewards to give an explanation for his horse's performance.

Royal Applause went clear a furlong out to record the biggest win of his career by one and a quarter lengths from the fast-finishing Danetime.

He challenged strongly in the final furlong but could finish only third, beaten half a length and a short head by the fillies Carmine Lake and Pas de Reponse.