Nine seek to lower Baaeed’s colours

Baaeed bows out in front of a home crowd at Ascot on Saturday.

No Arc bid for the brilliant son of Sea The Stars, but he's exactly the star turn QIPCO British Champions Day was designed to attract.

So instead of 2400m amid the rain showers in Paris, it’s 2000m at Ascot – and the prospect of soft ground. That’s new for 2022 – although not unknown to the colt having handled some cut in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at this meeting last year as well as the Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood a couple of months earlier.

The 2000m holds no fears either as we saw at York and he has an outstanding temperament. Throw in the encouraging sounds from the Haggas and Shadwell teams and it's fair to guess he won't beat himself at Ascot.

So, who could possibly inflict a first defeat on the superstar on his final carer start? Well, nine horses might have a go – including a couple of near neighbours.

ADAYAR

Here’s a threat. He won the Derby and King George last season after all and arrives at Ascot a fresh horse having been restricted to just one start this season.

True, he was 2-7 in a three-runner conditions race at Doncaster but he showed at least a chunk of the previous ability remains when sauntering to a 3.75-length success over Masekela. A 126+ adjusted Timeform performance rating was 1kg shy of the one he recorded when fourth in last year's Arc.

He wouldn’t beat a peak Baaeed on Saturday without another surge of improvement but is only seven pounds (3.5kg) below the favourite on Timeform ratings and that at least gives the hotpot a little less wiggle-room.

BAY BRIDGE

He looked set for a big season when running away from Mostahdaf and Addeybb in the Brigadier Gerard, but it hasn’t quite worked out that way. The change of pace from Sandown was missing when he was second to State Of Rest in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes before he gave way late to finish fifth in the Coral-Eclipse.

He hasn't run since but is fresh, back on an easy surface and very much a 2000m, Group 1 performer. Another who will make sure Baaeed isn’t allowed a simple lap of honour.

DUBAI HONOUR

A stablemate of the favourite but nine lengths behind him in the Juddmonte International at York. He might get his ground for the first time this season on Saturday, but that’s about it if you’re looking towards him being a potential fly in the ointment.

HELVIC DREAM

He’s been sparingly campaigned for the last couple of seasons and never threatened to repeat a 2021 win in the Tattersalls Gold Cup when last seen in May. The more rain the better for but he’ll need this to be like Ascot in December to have any chance.

HIGH DEFINITION

The days of his unbeaten two-year-old campaign and reputation as the Ballydoyle Derby colt for 2021 seem but a distant memory now. He’s smart, but wherever you look in the 2022 formbook he has a mountain to climb - whatever the ground, whatever the pace scenario on Saturday.

MAC SWINEY

Another who wants soft ground – but not company as hot as this. He won last year’s Irish 2,000 Guineas but it’s been a long time between drinks and there was nothing in his two runs in the spring and summer to suggest he’s about to reinvent himself again at the weekend.

ROYAL CHAMPION

Positives. Well, he recorded a career-best performance when running away with the Doonside Cup at Ayr last time and is only eight races into his career.

The negatives. That was a Listed contest, he’d been found out in Group Three company on his two previous starts and on Saturday he meets one superstar and a couple of other very solid top-level performers.

MY PROSPERO

A third entry for Haggas and a colt who went close in his only previous Group One, beaten a head and a short head by Coroebus and Lusail in the St James’s Palace. He’s only run once subsequently, winning the Prix Eugene-Adam at Saint-Cloud. He’s unexposed at this trip and a potential improver, but he needs to find an awful lot more in against these.

STONE AGE

He ran well under an enterprising ride when fifth in the Irish Champion Stakes last time, beaten less than three lengths. But he was seen to advantage that day and was still unable to repel the closers. There are few bigger engines still lurking in this too. – www.sportinglife.com