After mounting speculation that the brilliant Baaeed could head to Paris for the prestigious Prix de l’Arc de triomphe for the final start of his glittering career following a stunning victory last time out in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York when tested over 1m2½f for the first time, the four-year-old’s trainer William Haggas has poured cold water on the prospect of going to the French capital for his prized asset’s swansong.
Instead, Baaeed will go to British Champions Day at Ascot. The iconic finale to Britain’s flat racing campaign always seemed the more likely of destinations for the Shadwell Estate-owned horse and he can ride off into the sunset in front of an adoring home crowd following what should be an almost certain win in the Group One Champion Stakes.
“After much consultation with Sheika Hissa and her team, we have decided that Baaeed’s final start will be in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 15,” said Haggas.
“He was very impressive in the Juddmonte International and it was only right that we explored every option.
“But I, in particular, was very keen to keep him at a mile and a quarter and therefore the Qipco Champion Stakes was the only logical solution.
“There are many, I’m sure, who are going to be disappointed that he is not going to be running in the Arc, but we can’t do both and we all feel that it is the right decision for the horse, so Ascot it will be.
“Let’s hope we have him in top form for that.”
The 10-time unbeaten Baaeed is already as short as 1/3 for the 1m2f contest in the horse racing betting and could be much shorter coming down to post at Champions Day on October 15th. But what is really at stake for Shadwell and Haggas is the chance for their horse to emulate the great Frankel, who went down the same route for Sir Henry Cecil and Juddmonte Farms in his final season a decade ago.
The bay colt has matched Frankel’s 2012 record race-for-race already this season – winning the Lockinge Stakes, Queen Anne, Sussex Stakes and the aforementioned Juddmonte International – and while he might not have done so quite as convincingly for the most part, Baaeed is just the Champion Stakes away from sealing legendary status.
The roof will come off Ascot’s grandstand should the Shadwell star live up to his billing in the penultimate race of the fantastic card, but it will need to be a performance from Baaeed similar to that at York – when he stormed home to beat Mishriff by over six lengths in the International Stakes.
This is Champions Day after all, so only the best horses are going to enter the stalls and Baaeed looks set to face some stiff competition. Last year’s Derby winner Adayar is the second favourite at 5/1 after finally marking his seasonal reappearance with a win at Doncaster earlier this month, and Prix du Jockey Club/Eclipse winner Vadeni could also line-up alongside Irish Champion Stakes victor Luxembourg.
There will be a lot of pressure and weight of expectation on the shoulders of Jim Crowley, and Haggas might not be able to watch Baaeed’s final outing as he’s previously admitted he struggles with the nerves, but he should have enough about to brush aside his competition in the Champion Stakes and end his career with seventh-straight Group One win.
There’s a lot riding on the race for Haggas at a personal level as well, as a victory for Baaeed could also see the Somerville Lodge trainer leap back over Charlie Appleby in the Flat Trainers’ Championship and pip the Godolphin man to his maiden title.
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