Prix du Moulin de Longchamp report: Baaeed lives up to expectations with fifth straight success

Having won his first four races with consummate ease, the three-year-old son of Sea The Stars was making the leap from a Newmarket Group Three at the end of July, but went off the odds-on (4/11) favourite and smoothly accounted for his five rivals in the hands of Jim Crowley.

Baaeed didn't turn a hair in the preliminaries in the Paris heat despite having his first race outside of Britain, but came alive when the stalls opened to track Novemba and Order Of Australia, who occupied the first two places through the early stages.

With 200 metres to travel the front-running and free-going Novemba was sending out the distress signals and Crowley brought Baaeed to the head of affairs without too much effort. His response once hitting the front wasn't sparkling, the William Haggas-trained colt just doing enough, but the result was never in doubt as Baaeed cruised across the line from 14/1 chance Order Of Australia.

Second-favourite Snow Lantern, who raced alongside the winner early on, found little for pressure in the straight and ended up a well-held fourth with Victor Ludorum taking third spot.

A delighted Haggas was winning this race for the second time, after Aqlaam struck in the same colours in 2009. The Newmarket trainer was not in attendance, but having watched the race on television, he sensed that Baaeed was perhaps a little fresh for his first start in more than five weeks.

He said: “It was a funny, complicated race for him because he got into a nice position and then the German horse (Novemba) came round and set him alight. He was a bit wide. He and (eventual fourth) Snow Lantern were both a bit free in third and fourth. But once he settled down, I liked the way he did it.

“He actually raced, for me, a bit fresh. He just looked pleased to be out, so that will have done him a lot of good.

“He’s won, which is the most important thing, and we’re delighted. We’ll celebrate."

Baaeed was very busy with four mid-summer runs and Haggas agreed it is remarkable how far the three-year-old has come in such a short space of time.

He said: “Absolutely – (but) he’s had a while since his last run. He hasn’t run for five weeks. I think he thought his season was over!

“He’d run quite a few times before that. But he just looked a bit pleased to be out. He was enthusiastic to post, and he raced more keenly than he has so far this year. But he’ll be fine. He’s a charming horse, and a good one – a fast one, too."

Bookmakers Sky Bet, Paddy Power and Betfair clipped Baaeed to 2/1 from 5/2 for the QEII at Ascot on Champions Day, where he is expected to face the John and Thady Gosden-trained Palace Pier.

Haggas confirmed that will be his end-of-season target, as long as he is showing the right signs on his return from France.

“If he runs again (this season), that’ll be the race he’ll run in,” he said.

“But we’ll see about that, we’ll see how he is.”

Crowley reported that Baaeed did run more freely than he has in the past, but he was impressed nonetheless by how he settled matters when asked.

“Obviously he’s been winning races very easily back home,” he told Sky Sports Racing.

“This was his first step up to Group One company, fifth run of his life – and for me, he’s still learning. I thought he did very well, because the pacemaker missed it, and then chased him up – and I didn’t have any cover.

“He relaxed OK, and he picked up well. When he hit the front, he was just idling a little bit – and he was pricking his ears in front. It was a good performance. I hope he can keep progressing – I think he will do.”

Baaeed’s victories to date have come on ground ranging from just good to firm to this good to soft, but Crowley is confident he will be adaptable if necessary on a more testing surface.

“He stays the mile very, very well,” he said.

“He’s not too ground dependent – it’s beautiful ground out there today, and he went very well on it. He’s got a fantastic mind. He’s very laid-back.

“He was a little bit fresh today. It’s the first time he’s been abroad, and he took it all in his stride. Walking round the paddock, he was cool as a cucumber."

Baaeed appears likely to stick to a mile for the foreseeable future, but as with underfoot conditions, Crowley is confident a move up in trip would be feasible.

He added: “As for further – yes, I’m sure he’ll stay. Whether connections will want to go further with him at the moment, when he’s winning Group Ones, we’ll have to wait and see.

"I wouldn’t worry (about soft ground). He ran on good to soft before – at Goodwood (in the Group Three Thoroughbred Stakes) it was on the slower side. Because he stays the mile very well, I think if it came up soft over a mile, I wouldn’t be too concerned."

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