Willie Haggas’ unbeaten Baaeed proved his status as the leading older miler in Europe with another Group One victory in the opener of Royal Ascot 2022, the Queen Anne Stakes.
Under Jim Crowley, the four-year-old son of Sea The Stars was sent off a prohibitive 1-6 favourite. But he won like an odds-on favourite should to land an eighth career success and a fourth in a row at the top level.
The Shadwell Estate-owned colt should continue to prove a tough nut to crack for his rivals throughout the season and may line-up at Glorious Goodwood for a clash of the generations in the Group One Sussex Stakes, for which he is a best-priced 4-6 favourite with Boylesports. Although connections are keen to try and see if he will stay further with the 1m2f Juddmonte International at York in August a possible destination.
Group One wins in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp at Paris-Longchamp last September and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot the following month were followed by another comfortable success at the top level in the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes on his seasonal return at Newbury last month.
And under Crowley, he scored an equally impressive – if not quite as wide-margin – win in the Queen Anne.
He tracked the pace down the centre of the track set by Godolphin's Real World (15-2), under Danny Tudhope. Then he came through to take over coming to the final two furlongs and cruised to a comfortable length-and-three-quarter success over Real World, who at least kept the winner up to his work by staying on well enough. Order Of Australia was a further four lengths back in third, having led on the nearside group early in the race.
Haggas said: "He won nicely, he didn't really do a lot really.
"He looked like he tracked the right horse, the other horse ran well actually, but I don't think he was extended fully.
"You can't learn anything from that, he travels well and settles well and that's pretty important if you're going up in trip.
"I'll speak to Sheikha Hissa and Angus (Gold, racing manager), but I think we are all keen to give it (stepping up in trip) a go and that will be at York and there's potentially Goodwood (Sussex Stakes) in the meantime.
"He's obviously a good miler and he's bred to get further so I think we'd like to try and I think it would be remiss of us not too. It would be the easy option to stay at a mile."
Baaeed is now 6-4 favourite with Paddy Power, BetVictor and Betfair for the Juddmonte.
Haggas added: "It's great because he is now doing it regularly in Group One races. It is exciting, I haven't really seen it properly, but he didn't really look like he was extended today. I had done 6,000 steps by six o'clock this morning - my doctor will be thrilled with me.
"I do feel a little bit of pressure, but I'm a bit more relaxed now.
"If everyone enjoys him, it's great. We are very lucky to have him. We will possibly go to the Sussex Stakes, possibly.
"As Maureen said this morning, I said, 'oh a bit of pressure today', but she said we are much better off we are not at Thirsk today – we are much better off being here under a bit of pressure. So thank God he has won. He is very nice."
Winning jockey Crowley added: "I just let him stretch out for the last furlong of the race. It was like clockwork.
"It's the pinnacle. You spend your whole life waiting for a horse like this to come along. Everyone says to enjoy it, but there is a lot of pressure. But I love it and I enjoy it. It's why we do it. Sheikh Hamdan would be looking down smiling and I'm so pleased that Sheikha Hissa is here today.
"William and Maureen Haggas have done an unbelievable job with him and it is a pleasure to get on him and do the steering."
Sheikha Hissa, who assumed control of Shadwell after her father Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum died last year, said: "It is very exciting, especially as he is a home-bred as well. He has brought us so much joy, especially at this time. Especially last year – it was a joy to watch him.
"Hopefully we will be stepping him up – whether he goes to the Sussex or straight to the Juddmonte, we'll see.
"Obviously his brother (Coronation Cup winner Hukum) and all of his family have been stepped up, so he has been bred for that. He has shown some speed, so William and I were adamant he will stay at a mile until we see he is ready – and I think he is ready.
"We all feel pressure when he runs. I promised myself that I will enjoy it whatever happens, because I don't know when I will see a horse like this again. Whether in five years' time I look back and we are always stressed – that defeats the purpose doesn't it. We will try to enjoy it as much as possible.
"I have so much pride (to take on my father's baton). I hope I do him justice. I hope that there are many more from this bloodline that we can enjoy, because he worked very hard on it.
"We have had conversations (about the breeding) all the time, so it is nice to enjoy something that he bred himself."
Real World icould also step up in distance with a trip to Sandown on the cards before a potential rematch with Baaeed on the Knavesmire.
His trainer Saeed bin Suroor said: "Baaeed is different class, it is the same result as at Newbury in the Lockinge. Real World ran well, he was just beaten by a better horse. He is getting closer, but not close enough!
"I am thinking about a mile and a quarter, maybe the Eclipse in two weeks. I would be keen to run him, but I need to see how he comes back from here. Maybe also the Juddmonte after."
