Baaeed loses winning record to Bay Bridge in Champion Stakes farewell

Baaeed was beaten for the first time on his final career start, as Bay Bridge caused a sensational upset in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Bay Bridge won the race to crown a brilliant season for Richard Kingscote who won the Derby earlier this year as the hot favouritecould only finish fourth with his jockey, Jim Crowley, blaming the soft ground.

The winner held off 2021 Derby winner Adayar and My Prospero in the closing stages with Baaeed a one-paced fourth.

The victorious jockey said “It’s surreal really. We came here with a nice horse but were taking on one of the best around. “This is what I have dreamed about. Riding beautiful horses like this – they’ve always liked him at home and on that ground they have a lovely animal.”

Asked for his reaction, Crowley was in no doubt as to the reason for Baaeed’s reverse. “The ground, simple as that,” he said. “I turned into the straight and normally where he would pick up, normally he would be able to do it on good-to-soft, that kick which is normally there just wasn’t there. It was heavy weather really.

“In the past, it has just been instant. It just wasn’t there, simple as that. I pressed the button today and it wasn’t there. It’s unbelievable the journey we have been on. He is a very special horse and it is sad that he does not finish his career unbeaten as we have come so far. For me today, it was just sad as that kick I know he has wasn’t there.

Sedgefield 1.30 My Brother Jack 2.05 Raecius Felix 2.40 Easy Bucks 3.15 Light Em Up Nigel 3.50 Storm Lorenzo 4.25 Kajaki 5.00 Ebonello 

Kempton Park 1.40 Age Of Sail 2.15 Hasty Parisian 2.50 Boombawn 3.25 Romanor 4.00 Sceau Royal 4.35 Jemima P 5.10 Go On Chez (nap)

“Baaeed has captured the imagination and I’m sorry we couldn’t do it