Palace Pier Carries Four-Race Win Streak into QEII

Palace Pier  is horseracing's equivalent of Muhammad Ali. Both were an almost unstoppable force in their prime and had an air of invincibility before suffering their first defeat on the main stage—Madison Square Garden for Ali against Joe Frazier and this race last year for Palace Pier.

But one tell-tale sign of a champion is that they make amends to regain superiority and, as Ali did in his second fight against Frazier, Palace Pier returns to the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Sponsored by QIPCO (G1) in order to clean up the mile division.

The one-mile Queen Elizabeth II will provide the winner with an automatic starting position and fees paid into the $2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1T) Nov. 6 at Del Mar as it was recently announced a part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" series.

Palace Pier has left the likes of Pinatubo , Alpine Star , Lope Y Fernandez  and, more recently, Poetic Flare  trailing in his wake throughout his career and simply has a bigger engine than any of his regular rivals.

The QEII was the race that got away last October. John Gosden decided to let Palace Pier take his chance despite monsoon-like autumn conditions leaving the Ascot turf sodden, and rider Frankie Dettori's race plan arguably went out the window in the first stride.

Palace Pier broke uncharacteristically awkwardly and found himself last of a well-grouped field after a furlong. Dettori bided his time but raced without cover for much of the race and was forced to go for home far sooner than Palace Pier had done before. Palace Pier eventually faded into third. Not only did the start and ground go against him, but the loss of his left-fore shoe blunted his finishing effort.

With quicker ground guaranteed and a perfect four-race unbeaten 2021 campaign, the son of Kingman  must have a favorite's chance of completing the mile series.

Although last year's winner The Revenant , who surely needs deeper ground, and sixth Lord Glitters  reoppose, Palace Pier largely faces a group of milers he has never tackled before. That team is headed by Baaeed , who has drawn comparisons with the great Frankel after five effortless victories to begin his career.

There is no denying the impressive visual impression left by Baaeed, especially when he romped home by 6 1/2 lengths under minimal urgings from rider Jim Crowley in the Bonhams Stakes (G3) at Goodwood in July, but such hype should be put on the back-burner given that the strength of his form remains under question.

He can only beat what is put in front of him, but Baaeed's biggest giant-killing is the defeat of the 118-rated Order of Australia , who subsequently finished last of 12 in the Keeneland Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland, and 115-rated Snow Lantern , who also failed to beat a rival on her next outing in the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Sun Chariot (G1).

The William Haggas-trained 3-year-old didn't show the same va va voom in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (G1) and now faces a champion in Palace Pier. We will learn just how good he is here.

Charlie Appleby and Andrew Balding have been fighting out the trainers' title all year and are represented by Master of The Seas  and Alcohol Free , respectively.

Palace Pier 'Training Nicely on the Limekilns'

Palace Pier has landed all four starts this season, most recently the Prix du Haras de Fresnay Le Buffard Jacques Le Marois (G1) at Deauville in August, since when he's been put away with the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes as his principal objective.

When Dettori speaks most people listen, and the Italian is adamant Palace Pier is the best miler he's ridden.

There's a significant chance he might need to be to counter the threat posed by fast-emerging potential superstar Baaeed, but Palace Pier fully merits his position as best miler in training and it's up to his year-younger rival to depose him.

Palace Pier's joint-trainer John Gosden couldn't be happier with his runner.

"It looks a top-notch race and obviously he hasn't run since Deauville in August as we've been waiting for this," Gosden said. "He's been training very nicely on the Limekilns of late and we're hopeful of a good showing."

Baaeed 'Ready to Go' Before Brilliant Clash

Racing fans have always been excited by an unbeaten horse who has a high cruising speed, sharp turn of foot, and the priceless ability to surge clear in the final furlong.

Baaeed, winner of all five starts, fits the bill, and it's no surprise he's long been hailed as flat racing's newest superstar.

The son of Sea The Stars graduated to group 1 company with honors on his latest start when beating Order of Australia by a length and a quarter in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp.

It may not have been achieved in the manner of his six-and-a-half-length destruction of El Drama in the Bonhams Stakes at Goodwood in July, but that wouldn't have expected to be the case.

Baaeed's trainer Haggas said: "He's fine. He's ready to go. We'll see what happens. He's had a good year and this will be his last run of the season.

"It's a cracking race. He has a bit to find on form but we don't know yet what his peak is. We don't fully know the peak of his powers, he's been winning his races so easily. What we do know, though, is that he will certainly have a race at Ascot."

On official ratings Baaeed has four pounds to find with Palace Pier, but the conditions of the race allow him to receive three pounds from the champion miler via weight-for-age.

No hype is needed for this heavyweight clash. It really is a race to savor. In fact, it's a race tailor-made for Champions Day.