Bridge too far
Haggas’ star Baaeed loses flawless record in Champion Stakes
IT was supposed to be a stage for an outstanding champion to gallop into retirement with a final virtuoso performance but for Baaeed the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot proved a bridge too far.
More precisely it was Sir Michael Stoute-trained Bay Bridge who ended Baaeed’s unbeaten record as he swept to victory in the £1.3million centrepiece of British Champions Day.
Compounding the shock win of the Richard Kingscote-ridden 10-1 shot was the fact Baaeed didn’t even make the first three, passing the winning line in fourth, a length-and-threequarters behind.
Baaeed didn’t even beat his William Haggas-trained stablemate My Prospero, who finished third, a nose behind the runner-up Adayar.
The snap reaction from jockey Jim Crowley was that Baaeed got stuck in the soft ground.
The jockey said: ‘That kick which is normally there just wasn’t. Simple as that. It was heavy weather. Every time I have gone for him in the past, the response has been instant but I pressed the button and it wasn’t there.’
Haggas added: ‘It’s a bit deflating but he is still a very good horse. I am sad for him and all his connections and everyone at the yard who have worked tirelessly to get him there. It just hasn’t happened but that is horseracing.
‘Jim thought it was the ground but I need to look at it again. I tend not to make assessments straight after. All I know is he didn’t win. Let’s hope this is eradicated from people’s minds quite quickly.’
The defeat means Baaeed, who will now be retired to the Shadwell Stud which bred and raced him, will not stand alongside the mighty Frankel as unbeatable.
But he can still justifiably be mentioned alongside some Turf greats like Brigadier Gerard, Dancing Brave, Shergar and his sire Sea The Stars, whose long-term reputation was not sullied by a blemish on their records.
The focus on Baaeed was unfortunate for Bay Bridge, a second major win of the season for
Kingscote and Stoute after their Derby success at Epsom in June with Desert Crown.
Stoute said: ‘We thought the favourite was unbeatable — or I did — but I thought he had a great chance of being second because he was in terrific shape.’
The rest of Qipco Champions Day largely belonged to Frankie Dettori, who won the Fillies & Mares Stakes with John and Thady Gosden-trained Emily Upjohn and the Champions Sprint Stakes with Ralph Becketttrained Kinross.
It has been an up-and-down season for the 51-year-old Italian, who had a disappointing Royal Ascot, lost the ride on the great stayer Stradivarius and briefly split from the Gosden stable. Dettori, who has finished on a high, said: ‘Overall I can’t complain. You can never have the perfect season. I am not retiring yet!’