Red-hot Moulin no penalty kick for Baaeed as Haggas ace bids for Group 1 glory

Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (Group 1) | 1m [Grande Piste] | 3yo+ | Sky

Baaeed's rise through the ranks has been little short of spectacular and before the colt's most recent Group 3 success at Goodwood, his Rating Post Rating after three career starts was already in excess of the average figure required to win all Group 1s across Britain and Ireland since 2008.

If anything the 108 he posted at Newmarket in June for winning a novice stakes by seven and a half lengths just 12 days after a winning debut was the clearest sign of his potential superstardom – in the hard world of handicapping and rating horses such a figure is extremely hard to earn against unproven opposition.

Now Shadwell's newest flagbearer bids to confirm what the clock and our eyes have been telling us in lesser company and it will be a major disappointment if he does not prove up to the grade, even at this early stage of his career.

That is a long way from saying that if he is the horse William Haggas hopes he is, he will definitely win a Moulin which boasts proven Group 1 players in Snow Lantern, Order Of Australia and Victor Ludorum. Put simply he could put in a Group 1 performance and still lose to another.

Snow Lantern had plenty of things go wrong for her in the Sussex Stakes and still posted a fair performance behind Alcohol Free and Poetic Flare.

On the occasions when she has settled well behind a decent pace she has shown an electric turn of foot. In that context, Peter Schiergen's decision to roll the dice with Novemba and choose Longchamp over the home comforts of Baden-Baden may be a relief to Snow Lantern's trainer Richard Hannon.

A good even pace should suit all concerned but the more fancied runners will not be able to ignore Novemba, who led until well inside the final furlong in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.

Snow Lantern bids to emulate Goldikova and Ervedya among the three-year-old fillies to win the MoulinCredit: Edward Whitaker

Recent Moulin winners Maxios and Persian King – as well as Sibila Spain only last Thursday – are proof the Grande Piste on fast ground is no place to let a good one slip the field.

Lone French representative Victor Ludorum failed to run up to expectations back over a straight mile in the Prix Jacques le Marois but he has been given sole responsibility after Godolphin held a hatful of entries at the start of the week, suggesting Andre Fabre is confident of a much better showing.

Fellow four-year-olds Order Of Australia and Lope Y Fernandez may all find it tough conceding weight for age to an on-song Baaeed or Snow Lantern, but it would be dangerous to discount them.

Order Of Australia produced an excellent effort to be third to Palace Pier and Poetic Flare in a vintage Marois. A similar level of performance from a horse who thrived on a turning mile in the US last November could be more than good enough if the young guns fail to bring their very best to the table.

Haggas fascinated to see Baaeed in Group 1 company

Baaeed has carried the tag of Group 1 winner-in-waiting ever since demolishing his rivals at Newmarket on just his second start.

Trainer William Haggas has confessed to being pleasantly surprised as to how much raw speed the son of Sea The Stars possesses, given he is a brother to Hukum, who has thrived for Shadwell and Owen Burrows over middle distances.

William Haggass on Baaeed: 'I'm interested as well. He's impressed a lot of people - including me'Credit: Mark Cranham

Baaeed faces a major step up in terms of the quality of his rivals and Haggas says he will be watching on with as much anticipation as every pundit.

He said: "I'm interested as well. He's impressed a lot of people, including me, so now he's got to go and show what he's capable of. This is a good challenge for him.

"The track should be fine, the ground should be fine and the travelling hopefully has been all right. It's like a normal runner except it's not really normal – not for us anyway. He's had a bit of hype and now he's taking on horses of Group 1 class and we'll see whether he's up to it."

Fillies demand respect

Five of the six fillies to have scored since 2000 were three-year-olds and Snow Lantern and Novemba bid to emulate such high-class winners as Nebraska Tornado, Goldikova and Ervedya, all of whom struck in their Classic season. Fillies and mares have scored at a rate of 28.5 per cent this century, despite representing just 21.5 per cent of the runners.

What they say

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Lope Y Fernandez and Order Of Australia
Order Of Australia is definitely getting there, and coming back to the sort of form he showed us last year. We were very happy with him in the Jacques le Marois and we've been delighted with him since. The nice ground will suit him. The ground is very important to Lope Y Fernandez. He needs it nice and it's been too soft for him the last twice. We think you'll see a different horse on nicer ground.

Order Of Australia bids to build on a fine third-placed effort in the Prix Jacques le MaroisCredit: Patrick McCann

Lisa-Jane Graffard, representing Godolphin, owners of Victor Ludorum
He ran below expectations last time but pulled out fine afterwards and appears to be well in himself both physically and mentally. We have no real explanation for that run and would love to see him return to his best form, although we're realistic about the task in front of him.

Peter Schiergen, trainer of Novemba
She's in very good form and has already won a Group 2 so we decided to come here over Baden-Baden, although it's a very strong race. If she finished third she'll please us. I don't think she enjoyed the straight track at Deauville and she was also drawn out on the wing. She handles most types of ground.

Richard Hannon, trainer of Snow Lantern
She's in great form and I've been very happy with her. This race fits in nicely and if it doesn't work out we can always come back to fillies-only races. She goes right-handed and we can ride her how we want. I felt she was very unlucky in the Sussex. Jamie didn't do anything wrong but nothing seemed to go right for us. When she got out the race was over.

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