Bay Bridge (10/1) beats Adayar and My Prospero to win Group One QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday; Baaeed loses unbeaten record on final start as William Haggas' star finishes fourth under Jim Crowley
Saturday 15 October 2022 17:49, UK
There was no fairytale ending for Baaeed at Ascot as Bay Bridge landed the QIPCO Champion Stakes on Saturday, with William Haggas' previously unbeaten star only fourth.
The headline act on Champions Day as he signed off his racing career, which had included a perfect 10 victories, Baaeed was sent-off 1/4 favourite under regular companion Jim Crowley.
Coming out of stall one, Baaeed was settled in towards the rear as Ryan Moore set the pace on Aidan O'Brien's Stone Age.
Still only sixth as the field turned for home, Crowley briefly struggled for room as stablemate Dubai Honour held him in on the rail, but Baaeed soon found his way through and gave chase as Charlie Appleby's Adayar came through to lead from My Prospero and Bay Bridge.
With Adayar and Bay Bridge soon tussling it out at the front, all eyes were on Baaeed as Crowley tried to inject the usual turn of foot the racing world has grown to love from Haggas' four-year-old.
But, Baaeed failed to pick up and Bay Bridge battled past Adayar to win by half a length for Derby-winning duo Sir Michael Stoute and Richard Kingscote.
Stoute said: "We knew he was in very good shape. There was an excuse at Sandown and his home work has been very good, the staff have done a great job. A great team effort.
"He's got a great mind and is an easy horse to train."
On a potential trip to the Breeders' Cup, Stoute said: "You'll have to ask the owners."
Reflecting on Baaeed's defeat, Haggas said: "It was disappointing, but he's still a great horse.
"I'm thrilled for Michael, to get that horse back (after disappointing in the Eclipse) was fantastic.
"My other horse (My Prospero) ran a fantastic race. It's just sad it's ended like it has.
"He's been a brilliant horse, he didn't show that today but don't take anything away from him, I'm very proud."
Angus Gold - racing manager to owners Shadwell Stud - told Sky Sports Racing: "We have to feel that the ground went against him. When he pulled him out and you waited for the usual acceleration, it just wasn't there in the ground. He simply wasn't as effective.
"We're very proud of him and he tried his heart out.
"I don't like to make excuses but I think that's a genuine excuse. It would have been the coward's way out if we hadn't have run him.
"He's still the best horse we've ever had."
Appleby's second champion trainer title is all but sealed after Adayar's second-placed effort in the Champion Stakes.
The Frankel colt, last year's Derby and King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner, was overshadowed in the lead up to the race by Baaeed - as indeed were the rest of the field.
"That was a great run, they went steadier than maybe ideal for us on that ground, but our plan was to try to get first run on Baaeed and he's gone out on his sword.
"Take nothing away from the winner, he's been crying out for this ground all year as we know and that was a great performance.
"Obviously we'll have discussions about where we go next, we might look at taking him to America for the Breeders' Cup Turf, he's getting better with his gate work, he came out well today.
"That would be the only question mark about going there. He's got no miles on the clock, but he's had a race today so I don't want to fall into the trap today of backing him up quickly like I did last year after a layoff.
"At one point when Will (Buick) kicked, similar to when he kicked in the King George, I thought we might be good enough, but it was a great race to watch."
