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I agree with both sides, champions are definitely good for the sport, they garner interest and make someone who’s slightly interested more likely to watch/spend money on the sport. However I do hate the whole ‘keep him undefeated thing’ – if this was some small time breeder who needed Baeeds future stud fees to pay for their grand kids university tuitions then I’d understand it. But these are the richest of the rich and are robbing us sporting fanatics of seeing true greatness which is the underlying draw of any sport.
I honestly can’t see anything in Baeeds breeding or racing style that would suggest he won’t get the Arc trip, I think we’d all agree saying his International win was the most impressive of his career and he ran through the line like a train. Of course there is the question mark about Heavy ground over there but if that were to happen I wouldn’t begrudge them withdrawing the horse. But they are too scared to even try it, why? They have no need for the extra money I don’t understand their logic, are their egos too big to allow them to see their superstar lose?
You have missed the point Ginger. No one is saying they do not like to see exceptional ability. What we are saying is we like to see the best get tested outside of their comfort zone.
If Baaeed does finish his career at Ascot, he will trot up at 1/10 without breaking sweat. Is that good sporting action? It will allow the racing media to whip themselves into a frenzy but it will not be much of a spectacle and will not add anything to Baaeed’s reputation or value.
I appreciate it is the safe option for his connections and I know they do not care what anyone hear thinks. But from a sporting point of view it is the boring option.
Upon reflection they should scrap the Champions League final, that way both semi-final winners can call themselves undefeated champions in Europe and thus boost shirt sales.
Sea The Stars won a Guineas but the form he showed at a mile was nowhere near the exceptional ability he later showed over further. ie Only showing exceptional ability at 1m2f and 1m4f and had there been a good miler around that early in the season Sea The Stas would not have won the Guineas.
Baaeed has already shown exceptional ability at 1m and 1m2f. The Arc at 1m4f would probably be too far. It would’ve been like Sea The Stars going for the (“Triple Crown”) St Leger (which many at the time wanted).
Brigadier Gerard went for and won the King George, but the form he showed in beating Parnell 1 1/2 lengths was nowhere near his best. Hanging and the margin being reduced near the line. Parnell was a bloody good stayer, but truth is he was nowhere near the class of The Brigadier. ie If there had been a rival able to handle the very strong pace that day, then a horse of much inferior ability could have beaten Brigadier Gerard.
If Baaeed went for the Arc then rivals would ensure a very strong pace and with a softish surface also enhancing the test of stamina… It would go against everything that makes Baaeed an exceptional racehorse – he’d have little chance of being anywhere near his best.
Value Is Everything“You have missed the point Ginger. No one is saying they do not like to see exceptional ability. What we are saying is we like to see the best get tested outside of their comfort zone.
If Baaeed does finish his career at Ascot, he will trot up at 1/10 without breaking sweat. Is that good sporting action? It will allow the racing media to whip themselves into a frenzy but it will not be much of a spectacle and will not add anything to Baaeed’s reputation or value.”.
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I never said anyone did, CAS, so it is not me who is missing the point.
I said that some don’t fully appreciate, with the emphasis on “fully”.
Odds don’t mean anything when an exceptional racehorse is involved. Doubt he’ll be “1/10”, but if he’s long odds-on what matters? Yes, it is “good sporting action” and yes the “racing media” and many racing enthusiasts will fully appreciate it. Especially if putting up an even better performance than yesterday (maybe a Timeform 140+) which would imo “add (plenty) to Baaeed’s reputation (and) value”… Much more so than in the Arc.Value Is EverythingI like to see horses tested under different circumstances.
Great to see connections test Baaeed yesterday.
But I have no wish to see an exceptional racehorse run under circumstances that are extremely likely to transform an exceptional racehorse into an ordinary one.That would just be a waste.
Value Is EverythingAngus Gold said after yesterday’s race: “The Arc is the greatest horse race in the world and I can’t think of anything better than winning it.”
Let me explain it to you, Mr Gold. You cannot win the Arc if your horse does not run in it.
Arc now under consideration as 1.75lb per length at 1m2f outfit the BHA raise Baaeed to an OR of 135.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I would argue that the Arc isn’t always the greatest horse race but that is by the by, I would be a little worried that they are now looking at potentially two new options race wise.
Haggas said that either the Champion Stakes only (the original plan) or Irish Champion & Champion Sakes or the Arc only are now under consideration. For me when you have had a plan in place from pretty much the start of the season to go about changing it late in the day isn’t always smart and invariably blows up in your face……. with connections after the event usually lamenting why the didn’t stick with the original plan.
I am not saying he couldn’t win an Arc but there are more than the normal amount of pitfalls you face when running in that race that anyone of them could scupper the late change of plans – even the Champion Stakes itself (usually run on deeper ground than he would have faced and a stiffer stamina test course wise) is not a case of him just turning up to win at long odds on.
Bear in mind he will end up facing much fresher horses that have been geared especially for season ending events whereas he has been on the go since May, so the original plan gives him an even longer break (13 days) than running in an Arc.
Whether we like it or not an unbeaten record for stud purposes is a huge draw for some and the bottom line is that Sheikha Hissa has significantly downsized the Shadwell organisation to a much leaner business concern and the the Champion Stakes is the more winnable race at a distance they now know he stays with a much more likely smaller field to be negotiated.
If it’s bottomless ground at Ascot its a different test for Baeed. His dad would’ve hated it ;o)
On that ground whichever looks the easier race out of the QE2 and the Champion Stakes i’d go for that one. Sufficient energy/guts will be needed at the end of the race to finish it off in front.
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