'He retains potential to rate higher' - Paul Curtis's Champions Day verdict

It may not have come from the most obvious candidate, but the Qipco Champion Stakes still produced the best figure from Champions Day as Bay Bridge appreciated the return to some easy ground with a narrow personal-best Racing Post Rating of 125.

Having looked a potential superstar in an impressive reappearance success in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes (124+) back in May, Bay Bridge could not repeat that level of form on faster ground when a beaten favourite for both the Prince of Wales's Stakes and Coral-Eclipse. Absent since, this was much more like it and he retains the potential to rate higher granted suitable conditions.

Baaeed clearly wasn't at his best for his swansong, an RPR of 121 his lowest since winning his first Group 1 in a below-standard running of the Prix du Moulin last year. Having rated at least 126 in his other five victories at the top level, his peak performance (138) in the Juddmonte International rates up there with the best turf figures recorded on RPRs bar Frankel.