Champions Stakes the Finale for Baaeed

Baaeed  completed his preparation for his bid to go out undefeated at Ascot—just as his predecessor Frankel  did ten years ago—with one easy canter behind his lead horse on Warren Hill on the morning of Oct 14.

His rider and groom Ricky Hall reported the 4-year-old to be "really good" on walking back to the yard where three or four photographers lined his route.

William Haggas was joined by some of the owners of star Aussie mare Verry Elleegant to watch the final workout, and they were not disappointed.

Frankel himself drew fans from as far away as Australia in 2012, which was a factor in the decision to let him take his chance on ground that was close to having the meeting abandoned.

Ten years on, thankfully Baaeed won't have such a surface to contend with, and his connections are happy with his draw in his bid for an 11th straight win in tomorrow's QIPCO Champion Stakes (G1).

Richard Hills, assistant racing manager to Shadwell Estates said: "Baaeed has a great draw in stall one and Jim Crowley knows him well so I would imagine he'll ride him like he did at York and put him to sleep early and then get him into contention in the straight.

"He's won on soft ground so it won't inconvenience him as it may do others and he's in great form going into the race.

"He sailed through his final bit of work on the Al Bahathri on Monday morning when everyone was happy with him. Everyone at Shadwell are looking forward to the day, and hopefully he can take his unbeaten record into retirement."

Hills was lucky enough to be at the controls of the 4-year-old in a recent piece of work on the Limekilns.

He said: "It was incredible. Make no mistake, Baaeed is a quick horse and when I went for him his turn of foot was amazing. I've ridden plenty of smart horses in the mornings during my time, but not many do it in the afternoons like him."

Godolphin's Adayar  will give Baaeed his biggest test in Saturday's 1 1/4-mile contest. Trainer Charlie Appleby deliberately avoided a second crack at the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) with the Cazoo Derby (G1) and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes (G1) winner owing to the prospect of a testing surface, and he looks well placed to better his fifth in this a year ago.

The son of Frankel scored on his delayed reappearance in a conditions race at Doncaster last month and is a fresher horse than most.

Appleby said: "Adayar is in great shape. We went to Doncaster for a conditions race, and we knew that it was never going to be like the field he will meet on Saturday, but he couldn't have done it any easier. Most importantly, we got what we wanted out of it—he got all of his confidence back and didn't have a hard race.

"We all know that Baaeed is going to be a huge challenge for him and a huge task, but we couldn't be any happier with our horse. We have seen what Adayar can do—he is a Derby and King George winner and looks in great shape."

On the big clash, he added: "We are excited, and it's good for racing to see two good horses take each other on, although they are not the only ones in the race and you can make cases for others. It's a great race collectively, but Adayar taking on the great unbeaten Baaeed is exciting.

"Can we beat him? We are going there a fresher horse this year in conditions we are quite relaxed about. It's going to be a fantastic race and hopefully one that will go down in the history books as being one of the great races we have seen over the past few years."