Baaeed’s team are hoping the home crowd at Ascot will gather in numbers to give their unbeaten superstar the perfect send-off in the Qipco Champion Stakes.
Trainer William Haggas and owner Shadwell announced in the week that Baaeed will finish his career on Champions Day next month, live on Sky Sports Racing, rather than stepping up to 12 furlongs and being supplemented for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
The four-year-old has yet to be beaten in 10 races, with his last six victories coming in Group One company, including an impressive six-and-a-half-length verdict on his first attempt at 10 furlongs in the Juddmonte International.
He took a starring role on Sunday morning as he enjoyed a public canter as part of the Henry Cecil Open Weekend in Newmarket and will be the headline act at Ascot on October 15.
Assistant trainer Maureen Haggas said: “It’s great for everyone to see him. He’s the sort of character that enjoys it, he likes people looking at him – he’s become a bit of a pop star and he’s rather enjoying it.
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“I know there’s been lots of controversy about where he’s going to run, but William’s plan was always to go for the Champion and I suppose at the end of the day, he’s an English horse and it’s nice for the English people who supported him all year to see him off.
“Let’s hope it all goes OK.”
Ascot are preparing to give Baaeed the send-off he deserves on his final racecourse appearance.
Ascot’s director of racing and public affairs Nick Smith is delighted British racing fans will get the chance to bid farewell to the Shadwell-owned colt.
“It is obviously brilliant news for British Champions Day that they have chosen the Champion Stakes as the final run,” said Smith.
“I think William Haggas’ initial plan was always to go for the race, but it is completely understandable after York that they had to look at the Arc. Everybody knows the Arc is Europe’s all-age end-of-season championship race – it wouldn’t be accurate to say anything else. The Arc will always be a huge temptation and always be Europe’s premier race.
“But the decision was made in this particular case that the race which suited Baaeed best would be the Champion Stakes and I think that is great for the race and its profile. It is a race very much on the up, its ratings are constantly in the top five in the world every year.
“And while the Arc is number one, the Champion Stakes is still a major race in the programme and it is particularly good that the British public can come and see this great horse off.”
He continued: “The Frankel route, as it were, was good enough for Frankel and in some cases that is the right route for the horse. It is good for European racing that there is a very high profile, constantly evolving, quality 10-furlong contest at the end of the season as well as the Arc and I don’t see them as a competition or a ‘we got this’ and ‘you got that’ situation – that’s not how the European Pattern should work.
“The two interlink and provide different opportunities and of course you can run in both. I would be amazed if horses that have either run in the Arc or over Arc weekend don’t turn up on Champions Day, that is perfectly creditable, just not for Baaeed.
“You can be assured that just as Frankel got a wonderful final send-off in front of an adoring crowd, that is what will be awaiting Baaeed win or lose.”