Baaeed Puts Undefeated Record on the Line in Queen Anne

Shadwell's Baaeed  has soared to the top of the world rankings at a time when racecourses have not been their usual happy throng, and the 25,000 who witnessed his defeat of Palace Pier  in last season's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) is by far his biggest audience to date.

A general price of 2-7 in the June 14 Queen Anne Stakes (G1) is predicted for the son of Sea The Stars  in his quest to extend his dominance to a perfect eight wins, which tells you this should be a pretty one-sided race. With an anticipated crowd of 45,000 at Royal Ascot roaring Baaeed on, European racing's brightest star should get the ovation he so richly deserves. A victory in the Queen Anne will also earn Baaeed an automatic berth to the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) at Keeneland this fall.

Only the great Frankel  has gone off shorter than Baaeed's projected odds in this race and that is not only because Baaeed himself is probably the best miler we have seen in a decade. It also tells of the shortcomings in the division.

In terms of ground conditions, Baaeed will arguably get his quickest ground since winning at Newmarket last July, although a penultimate furlong of :10.77  in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (G1) suggests conditions were pretty rapid at Paris Longchamp, despite the official reading of good to soft.

Trainer William Haggas said: "I've always felt he would be okay on fast ground. His new position in the rankings is a bigger deal for the press than it is for me, but he's obviously good.

"We've got lots of runners and lots going on this week so I don't really know if it's an advantage to have him going first. It's going to be a long week if he doesn't win but what will be will be."

Jockey Jim Crowley has the enviable task of deciding when to unleash Baaeed's turn of foot.

"I haven't sat on him since Newbury, but Michael Hills rides him in all his work and seems very happy with him," he said.

If there was one other horse trained in Britain who made nearly as much eye-catching progress in the second half of the season as Baaeed, it was surely Real World .

Godolphin's son of Dark Angel  began his rise when landing the 2021 Royal Hunt Cup over this course and distance and finished off the year when running down The Revenant  in the Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein (G2) at Longchamp.

Saeed bin Suroor campaigned Real World on dirt over the winter but after drawing a line under that failed experiment, the 5-year-old produced an excellent effort back on turf when pulling clear of everything not named Baaeed at Newbury in the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes (G1).

"Real World has done well since the Lockinge and I was pleased with his most recent piece of work," said Bin Suroor. "He's coming up against a superstar in Baaeed again but the stiff mile at Ascot suits him well. He gets further, so a strong pace would suit him and he's improving all the time, so I'm not without hope."

Real World is the only realistic hope for those looking to get after Baaeed but a rewatch of the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes, in which he was beaten over three lengths and without Baaeed needing to engage the after-burners, makes the scale of the task become obvious.

Coolmore's Order Of Australia  makes his seasonal debut in the Queen Anne. The 2020 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1T) victor has only a group 2 win at the Curragh to his name since pulling off that stunning upset at Keeneland two years ago. He hasn't raced since finishing last of 12 in last October's Keeneland Turf Mile Stakes (G1T).