All eyes on Baaeed at British Champions Day

It’s QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot, and can Ladbroke’s odds-on 1/4 favourite Baaeed culminate a magnificent career with victory in the QIPCO Champion Stakes.

To be ridden again by Jim Crowley for William Haggas and owner Shadwell Estates, he’s coming off a 6½ length victory over Mishriff in the Juddmonte International Stakes of 1m2½f on turf.

In also winning Sussex Stakes, Queen Anne Stakes and Lockinge Stakes this season, he’s looking to finish his unbeaten racing career with 11 wins in taking out the Champion Stakes of 1m2f.

Being unraced at two, and not contesting the ‘classics’ at three, he won all six starts over 1 mile including the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Prix du Moulin and Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes.

By the highly success 2009 Epsom Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winning sire Sea The Stars, it will most possibly he will stand at his owners The Nunnery Stud in Norfolk, Great Britain.

Bred by Shadwell Estates, he’s from the stakes winning Kingmambo mare Aghareed, with her dam being the dual Gr1 winner Luhudood, the family of the influential Height of Fashion.

With World Best Racehorse Ranking being released in September, Baaeed was rated 135 on winning the Juddmonte International, that is the highest on turf since Frankel with 140 in 2012.

At 7/2 is last season’s Epsom Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Adayar, who won over 1m2f in September and will be ridden by William Buick for Godolphin.

The Sir Michael Stoute trained Brigadier Gerard Stakes winner Bay Bridge is 10/1 for Richard Kingscote, with 20/1 each for Dubai Harbour, My Prospero, Royal Champion and Stone Age.

With the Campion Stakes always staged at Newmarket from 1877 until 2010, it was fitting that the great unbeaten champion Frankel took out the initial QIPCO Champion Stakes in 2011.

Run at Ascot as the principal event of the initial QIPCO British Champion Day, it’s the final event of the QIPCO British Champions Series Middle Distance division to culminate the season.

In following the Epsom Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and rivalling the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, it’s noticeable Baaeed has made the Champion Stakes his finale!

With the Henry Cecil trained Frankel having 14 unbeaten victories, he now has the classic hero Adayar for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin, with Alpinista winning the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Two years later, Henry Cecil’s widow Lady Jane Cecil took out the 2014 running with Frankel’s half-brother Noble Mission to defeat the Champion Series stalwart Al Kazeem in a thriller.

In 2015 Dermot Weld had Fascinating Rock land the QIPCO Champions, while 12 months later Almanzor for France was outstanding, and today is a highly regarded sire in Europe and Australasia.

Frankel’s son Cracksman won in 2017, 2018 to become the only horse to win the Champion Stakes twice, and only the second horse to win two Champion Day races – the other is Frankel.

Last year it was French 3yo Sealiway successful at 12/1, William Haggas with his dual Australian Group 1 winner Addeybb in 2020, and in 2019 Magical who also won the Irish Champion Stakes.

Again, it’s Frankel with his Jacques le Marios and Coronation Stakes 3yo filly Inspiral at 10/11 on for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes of 1m in being owner Cheveley Park Stud’s ‘best ever bred.’

To be ridden again by Frankie Dettori for John and Thady Gosden, it’s the Prix de Moulin and Prix Daniel Wildenstein winner Modern Games at 7/2 and then at 5/1 is the 7yo The Revenant.

Australia’s Verry Elleegant is 25/1 for the Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes headed by Emily Upjohn at 7/2, Creative Force at 5/2 in the Champions Sprint Stakes, with Hollie Doyle and Trueshan at 7/4 for the 2 mile Long Distance Cup.