HAGGAS: ASCOT TO SEE BEST OF BAAEED

TRAINER William Haggas says Baaeed will line up in Saturday’s Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in better shape than when he won his first Group One prize in last month’s Prix Du Moulin at Longchamp.

Jim Crowley’s mount, who beat Order of Australia a length and a quarter in France, faces his toughest task yet with QEII opponents headed by John and Thady Gosden-trained five-time Group One winner Palace Pier and entries including Alcohol Free, Mother Earth and last year’s winner The Revenant.

Haggas, who reckons he is pitching Baaeed into the ‘best mile race of the season’, said: ‘I was really pleased with him at Longchamp. I don’t want to undermine the horses who finished behind him but I am pretty sure we did not see him at his best that day.

‘We had had a bit of a hiccup. It wasn’t serious but we had a little bit of a rushed preparation. He was a bit fresh going to post and in the race but he will be focused on Saturday.

‘I am pretty sure we will see the best of him at Ascot.’ Baaeed has yet to be seriously tested and Haggas said the key to his run on Saturday is how much more potential there is yet to unlock in a colt who has only run five times having made his debut at Leicester in June.

The trainer added: ‘Baaeed will have all on but the bit none of us know is what he has got left. He is going to be tested. He has danced every dance so far and we will see if he keeps dancing.’

Baaeed, one of the most exciting horses entered for £4million Qipco British Champions Day, is one of nine likely runners for Haggas on the card.

He fears the ground may be drying out too much for last year’s winner Addeybb in the Champion Stakes. He lines up alongside stablemates Al Aasy and Dubai Honour, the Prix Dollar winner who was supplemented to the race for £75,000.

Haggas is represented by Hamish, another lightly-raced exciting talent in the Long Distance Cup.