Written by Lydia Symonds
Wednesday at York saw Bon Ho’s Deauville Legend (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) advertise his G1 Melbourne Cup claims with a triumph in the G2 Great Voltigeur S. However, the afternoon belonged to another son of Sea The Stars (Ire) in Baaeed (Ire), who emulated his sire with a foot-perfect victory in the G1 Juddmonte International.
Perfect 10 for flawless Baaeed
Twelve years have passed since Sea The Stars etched his name onto the G1 Juddmonte International’s roll on honour and on Wednesday his superstar son Baaeed emulated his great sire when he demolished his classy rivals with an imperious victory in the Group 1 at York, stretching his unbeaten record to 10 in the process.
Despite his unblemished record coming into the race, there were question marks about the William Haggas-trained 4-year-old’s ability to stay the longer 2100-metre trip. However, as they entered the final 400 metres any doubts about the distance were dashed almost instantaneously with Baaeed travelling smoothly past his rivals to effortlessly beat last year’s winner Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) by a decisive 6.5l.
Following his victory in the 2009 edition of the race, Sea The Stars went on to win the G1 Irish Champion S., before signing off his career with a victory in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.
But Baaeed will not take the same route as his father, with Haggas instead deciding to take the same path as the mighty Frankel (GB), who won the G1 Juddmonte S. in 2012, before landing his swansong in the G1 British Champion S. at Ascot, which will also be Baaeed’s next and final assignment.
“It was a spectacular performance and I’m glad that everyone will now believe in him,” said Haggas, who also urged racing fans to enjoy the horse and limit comparisons with Frankel.
“That’s fantastic and he was imperious today (Wednesday), nearly as good as Frankel. Just give him credit for what he does, don’t compare him to Frankel.”
The trainer, who was fined £140 (AU$243) before the race after Baaeed was found to have a rash on his neck that had not been given veterinary clearance, continued. "That was a superlative performance and it was very satisfying for us to see him on the bridle with a furlong and a half to go.
William Haggas | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
“I was tense but we were happy with him. We had a little scare with a veterinary issue before the race, which I shall deal with later, but these things add to the pressure.”
Pre-race nerves
Meanwhile, Sheikha Hissa, who was left in charge of Shadwell Estate Company following the death of her father Hamdan Al Maktoum last year, said she was not tempted to push the horse any further and confirmed the G1 British Champion S. at Ascot on October 15 would be his final race before he embarks on a career as a stallion.
“In every aspect, I enjoyed it so much. I think today I was more nervous than the other days as it was a different distance, but he proved he is better at this distance and we have been running him over the wrong distance,” she joked.
"In every aspect, I enjoyed it so much. I think today I was more nervous than the other days as it was a different distance, but he (Baaeed) proved he is better at this distance and we have been running him over the wrong distance (she joked).” - Sheikha Hissa
“We would love him to stay unbeaten and he won very nicely, we couldn’t have been prouder. One more time and that’s about it."
Bred and raced by the Shadwell Estate Company, Baaeed is out of the French Listed winner Aghareed (USA) (Kingmambo {USA}), making him a brother to fellow Shadwell Stud-bred and raced colt Hukum (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and he added further prowess to the pedigree when he took out the G1 Coronation S. at Epsom earlier in the month.
The Sea The Stars / Kingmambo (USA) cross is one of the very best in the book with Baaeed one of four elite-level winners produced on the nick and with all 20 of the runners bred on this cross winners, including eight stakes scorers, it means it fires at an extraordinary stakes winners to runners strike-rate of 40 per cent.
Sheikha Hissa | Image courtesy of Aga Khan Studs
Sea The Stars is the sire of 17 other Group 1 winners and they include G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe runner-up Sea Of Class (Ire), who, like Baaeed, was also prepared by Haggas.
Bon Ho’s Deauville Legend stakes Melbourne Cup claims
The Bon Ho-owned Deauville Legend advertised his G1 Melbourne Cup credentials with a victory in the G2 Great Voltigeur S. at York on Wednesday.
The James Ferguson-trained son of Sea The Stars stayed out the 2400-metre trip impressively, eventually storming away to beat Secret State (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) by 2.8l. The winner's stablemate, El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who is also nominated for the Group 1 on November 1, came home another 1.5l in third.
Chalking up the third win of his six-start career, Deauville Legend has been a model of consistency never failing to finish out of the first four in his lifetime and Ferguson said he was delighted to see the gelding add a second Group race to go with his win in the G3 Bahrain Trophy S. at Newmarket earlier in the season.
Ferguson said the concrete plans for Deauville Legend had not been ironed out yet, but the gelding is likely to run in the G1 Melbourne Cup without a prep run in Australia.
James Ferguson | Image courtesy of James Ferguson Racing
“He will probably go into quarantine mid-September and aim to be in Australia at the beginning of October in time for the Melbourne Cup on November 1, but obviously this will have to be discussed with the owner beforehand.
“I think he has made it very clear to everyone that he stays very well and in the Melbourne Cup you need a lot of speed, which he certainly showed today (Wednesday).”
Having drawn a blank in both starts as a juvenile, the gelding shed his maiden status on his 3-year-old debut at Windsor in April and Ferguson said he had improved with every run since that first career triumph.
“He has genuinely improved from run to run this year and he hasn’t been short of a run this year,” said Ferguson.
“He (Deauville Legend) has genuinely improved from run to run this year and he hasn’t been short of a run this year.” - James Ferguson
“He has come out of each race so well and the team at home have done a wonderful job with him. With the permission of Bon Ho we have been allowed to run him here today (Wednesday) and that has teed him up very nicely for a trip down to Australia.
“He has strengthened up, as they do, from two to three and we are very grateful and are honoured to train such lovely horses.”
Meanwhile, Ferguson said El Bodegon could be a candidate for the G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, but like his stablemate, no plans had been confirmed.
“Credit to both horses, they've both run fantastic races and I'm delighted for both sets of owners. They should both have successful careers Down Under,” he continued.
“Credit to both (Deauville Legend and El Bodegon) horses, they've both run fantastic races and I'm delighted for both sets of owners. They should both have successful careers Down Under.” - James Ferguson
Purchased by Avenue Bloodstock for €200,000 (AU$294,000) at the 2020 Arqana Deauville Select Yearling Sale, Deauville Legend is out of Listed-winning mare Soho Rose (Ire) (Hernando {Fr}) making him a brother to G2 Lillie Langtry S. scorer Sea La Rose (Ire).
It was an across the card stakes double for Sea The Stars, with Baaeed handing the sire his second winner of the afternoon when he landed the G1 Juddmonte S. Sea The Stars stood at the Aga Khan’s Gilltown Stud for a fee of €150,000 (AU$220,000) in 2022.
Another star for Frankel?
Nearly 10 years ago to the day, Frankel produced one of the most impressive performances of his foot-perfect career in the G1 Juddmonte International at York and so, it was perhaps fitting that this year’s G3 Acomb S., the first stakes race of this year’s prestigious meeting went the way of one of the superstar stallion’s sons Chaldean (GB).
Frankel (GB) | Standing at Juddmonte
Sporting the famous silks of Juddmonte Farm, which are synonymous with his famous father, the Andrew Balding-trained Chaldean showed tenacity in spades to defeat Indestructible (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) by 0.5l.
“I’m delighted, he’s a lovely horse. Andrew has been very happy with him since he joined him in February. He’s very straightforward and he’s done it well – he was gutsy,” said Juddmonte’s Racing Manager, Barry Mahon.
“Ryan (Moore, jockey) feels like he’ll step up to a mile on his next start, which is good, so we’ll get him home and see what’s available and make a plan from there.
“He’s quite a young horse, being a middle of May foal, and I’d imagine he’s quite a bit more developing and growing to do, so we won’t over-race him this year.
“Quite rarely he’s a purchase by Juddmonte. He cost 550,000 guineas and in fairness to the (Abdullah) family, they put down their money for him as a foal and he’s repaying them now.
“Quite rarely he’s (Chaldean) a purchase by Juddmonte. He cost 550,000 guineas and in fairness to the (Abdullah) family, they put down their money for him as a foal and he’s repaying them now.” - Andrew Balding
“We’d buy less than 10 horses a year, so it’s a very small percentage of our business. But when we see something that looks nice and can enhance our stable, the family is keen to add to it.”
When asked whether the colt could be a contender for next year’s G1 2000 Guineas, a race Frankel won in 2011, Mahon said: “It’s possible. He’s no problem staying a mile and who knows, he could even get a little bit further next year. We’ll see how the rest of the year develops.
“It’s 10 years since Frankel won the Juddmonte International here and he’s leaving his mark with every week that goes by.
“It’s very special and it’s lovely to have one winning by him in the Juddmonte colours.”
Bred by Whitsbury Manor, Chaldean was a rare buy for Juddmonte Farms, with the operation outlaying 550,000gns (AU$958,000) for the colt at the 2020 edition of the Tattersalls December Foals Sale.
The colt is out of four time-winning Dutch Art (GB) mare Suelita (GB), who Whitsbury Manor purchased for 21,500gns (AU$37,400) at 2013 Tattersalls December Mares Sale and she is the dam of Group 3 winner Alkumait (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) as well as stakes scorer The Broghie Man (GB) (Cityscape {GB}).
In winning the Group 3, Chaldean becomes the 101st stakes winner for Frankel and he stood the 2022 season at Juddmonte Farms’ Banstead Manor base in Newmarket for a fee of £200,000 (AU$348,400).
