Arc bid would soften the blow of not seeing Baaeed race at five

I said in this column last week that Baaeed hadn't faced anything like Mishriff in his career. As it turns out, Mishriff hadn't faced anything like Baaeed's in his career. Indeed, it could be that none of us have seen a horse like him before.

I was sceptical beforehand and ultimately Mishriff was the only barometer to measure the winner by with Native Trail underperforming, but nevertheless Baaeed showed he was even better at ten furlongs than he was at a mile with a sensational performance.

The conversation will rage on about whether he will go to the Irish Champion Stakes, Champion Stakes, Arc or a combination of the three, and I'd love to see him tested over a mile and a half.

Sheikha Hissa has already said Baaeed means more to her as a stallion than he does a racehorse, a sad indication it is very much the tail wagging the dog with the bloodstock and racing worlds these days.

Of course, owners are entitled to race their horses however they please and clearly there is much more at stake with a stallion prospect as valuable as Baaeed, but the breeding world's gain is very much the track's loss.

I hope the Shadwell team avert from their original plan to solely target Ascot and, as my colleague Lee Mottershead said in his Monday column, the argument that running Baaeed over a mile and a half is an admission he has lost his speed is a watery one.

Four Group 1s show he has very little to prove at a mile and no one said that when he was stepped up in trip at York. I'd argue the lack of a two-year-old season, itself something which shouldn't be dimly viewed, is more commercially unattractive than having won an Arc.

I have been very fortunate to have enjoyed one horse of a lifetime already and for another to come along so swiftly is a remarkable twist of fate. All I wish to do is to watch him run.

We had Frankel for three seasons. We are likely to have Baaeed for just two. It will be sad to see races like the Coral-Eclipse and King George run without him next year, but an Arc bid could soften the blow.

Cambridgeshire types among York eyecatchers

I confess I spent half of York's Ebor meeting in the Peak District – watching Baaeed strut his stuff on top of Kinder Scout was fun – but having watched every race back I've picked out a few who I think it could pay to follow.

With the ground fast and several races run at seemingly a stop-start pace, I think it could be wise to keep an eye on some of those who came from further back.

Zoffee is the obvious place to start as he was short of room before running on to finish third to the subsequent Ebor second Alfred Boucher on Wednesday.

Dual-purpose horses have an excellent recent record in the Cesarewitch and he would be of interest there at 20-1, with a mark of 92 enough to comfortably ensure a run and low enough for him to do himself justice.

Mick Channon won next month's valuable Curragh sales with Barbill in 2018 and I'd be surprised if it wasn't on the radar for Legend Of Xanadu.

The colt travelled really strongly against the far rail in the sales race on Wednesday before he was totally blocked, and the likely strong pace and the Curragh's six and a half furlongs would suit him down to the ground.

Northern Express has looked progressive this season and he wasn't able to show his hand in Thursday's mile handicap.

His defeat of Orbaan in June and a fourth in the International Stakes read well and he still has potential in these feature handicaps were everything to fall right. Keep an eye on him for the Cambridgeshire.

Haskoy took her unbeaten run to two in the Galtres Stakes and looked an exciting prospect, particularly given she raced green in the closing stages.

Stamina has looked her strong suit so far, so don't be surprised if races like the Park Hill and Prix de Royallieu become options for her.

I was at Ascot when Al Marmar came out on top in a photo-finish in July and he was an eyecatcher when seventh over a mile on Friday.

The race developed away from him at a crucial stage and he can do better when granted a strong pace. He could be another for the Cambridgeshire.

Thundering lived up to his name in the mile-and-a-half handicap on Friday, storming home to finish second to Farhan in a funny race where the longtime leader Party Island had looked to get away.

That was just his third handicap start and he could even be one for a race like the Ebor in 12 months' time if he continues to progress.

The final mention goes to Geremia, who was hopelessly outpaced in the meeting's finale before powering home to finish third.

A winner over two miles, this was a marked drop in trip to ten furlongs and her positive performance opens up new avenues for her. There remains wiggle room in her handicap mark.

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From Leicester maiden to international superstar: how Baaeed became the best

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