Qipco British Champions Day highlight in ‘Win and You’re In’ contest for $4m Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland on November 5
Sadly this our final opportunity to see Baaeed, current #1 on Thoroughbred Racing Commentary’s exclusive Global Rankings, before he joins the Shadwell stallion roster.
Fittingly, the farewell comes in the precisely same race in which the great Frankel so memorably ended a similarly immaculate career 10 years ago.
Baaeed is the first European horse since to come even close to Frankel’s legacy, that legendary performer having gone through three full seasons and 14 races unbeaten.
Watch all six of Baaeed’s Group 1 victories here – plus words from Jim Crowley
Baaeed has rarely been as flamboyant as his predecessor, but he didn’t hold back when he was stepped up to a mile and a quarter for the first time in York’s Juddmonte International, where he quickened 6½ lengths clear of a top-class field headed by international star Mishriff in one of the most scintillating performances seen on a British racecourse in several years.That said, a back-to-form Adayar would be a worthy rival in this ‘Win And You’re In’ contest for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf, but last year’s Derby hero has plenty to prove after his reappearance was delayed until Doncaster last month, when he dismissed two inferior rivals.
Although shock results tend to be more common at this late stage of the season, success from outside of the two principals is hard to imagine unless conditions change and the going drastically deteriorates.
Key contenders
Baaeed (William Haggas/Jim Crowley) – still unbeaten after 10 starts, last six of them G1; overwhelmingly superior to a top-class field when stepping up to 1m2f in Juddmonte International last time at York last time; Haggas stable also run last year’s second Dubai Honour and three-year-old My Prospero, but Baaeed looks in a different league on final start of glorious career.
Adayar (Charlie Appleby/William Buick)– looked outstanding in Derby and King George in 2021 but ended the year disappointingly in fifth here and has raced only once since, when making short work of inferior opposition at Doncaster last month; would be toughest opponent ever faced by Baaeed if back to best; positive noises from Godolphin team.
Bay Bridge (Sir Michael Stoute/Richard Kingscote) – looked one of stable’s typical late improvers when impressing in G3 at Sandown on reappearance; beaten favourite since in Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot (second) and Coral-Eclipse back at Sandown (disappointing); off track with foot issue, but reportedly pleased in his preparation.
Stone Age (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore) – second favourite for Derby after winning Derby Trial at Leopardstown but finished only sixth; run better since in G1s at Belmont, Saratoga and Leopardstown but faces very stiff task here.
Shall we talk about it?
William Haggas, trainer of Baaeed: “Staying unbeaten is terribly important now that we are nearly there. Frankel obviously was unbeaten, but few are in a career at that level. Everything so far this year has gone exactly as we wanted it to go when we sat down in March to decide our programme. It’s been half a miracle to get to this situation in the position we are in. I respect Adayar very much, as I respect Bay Bridge, who looked a fantastic horse at Sandown, but they’ve got to go to beat him. So far he has passed every test. It’s up to him now.”
Charlie Appleby, trainer of Adayar: “His preparation has gone well and he goes to Ascot in great shape. He’s in better shape than a year ago without a shadow of a doubt, and we couldn’t have been more pleased with the way he did it at Doncaster on his return to the track, or more importantly with the way he’s come out of it. We know we’ve got a big task ahead of us, taking on Baaeed, but he’s 100 per cent the Adayar of old.”
Sir Michael Stoute, trainer of Bay Bridge: “It’s a tough race against a world-beater and last year’s Derby winner, but it’s the Champion Stakes so it’s entitled to be. After Sandown we had to stop him with a foot problem, but we’ve got him back now and we’ve been pleased with his preparation.”
Aidan O’Brien, trainer of Stone Age: “Stone Age ran very well in the Irish Champion Stakes, where he wasn’t beaten far by his stable companion Luxembourg, and the plan was always that he would come on here.”
Graham Dench’s verdict
BAAEED has always looked good, but at York last time he was simply sensational. It’s hard to see a negative here, as he looked to take another significant step forward there for the move up to this longer distance and fears of really testing autumn ground have receded. It’s not as if he has had an arduous campaign either, with just four well-spaced races so far and no reported setbacks. On paper Adayar appears to be the only rival who can get even close to him, and it’s worth remembering how good he looked at Epsom and Ascot last summer.
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