'I pressed the button and it wasn't there' - Jim Crowley on Baaeed's defeat

Jim Crowley was adamant that soft ground had blunted Baaeed's brilliance after the horse everyone had come to see suffered the first defeat of his career on his last start in a drama-filled Qipco Champion Stakes.

Crowley has been the lucky man in the saddle for eight of Baaeed's ten victories but number 11 proved a step too far as Baaeed could never get on terms with the leaders before faltering into fourth spot.

Europe's highest-rated horse has four victories on ground officially described as good to soft, including when winning the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions Day last season, but this was the first time he had encountered ground described by clerk of the course Chris Stickels as good to soft, soft in places and the softer conditions were to blame as far as Crowley was concerned.

"It was just ground – as simple as that," said the rider after slipping his saddle from Baaeed's back for the final time. "I turned into the straight and normally where he would pick up - he's been able to do it on good to soft - but that kick that's normally there, just wasn't there. It's as simple as that and it was heavy weather really."

Baaeed even had to play second fiddle to stablemate My Prospero on this occasion, a horse rated 21lb inferior on official ratings but who finished one and a quarter lengths in front of his famous stablemate in third.

Sheikha Hissa listens to Jim Crowley after Baaeed's defeatCredit: Edward Whitaker

Asked when he first feared he was in trouble, Crowley said: "As soon as I went for him. Every time I've gone for him in the past it's been instant, but it just wasn't there. I pressed the button and it wasn't there. We've all seen what he can do and today it wasn't there."

Despite Baaeed signing off on a first defeat of an otherwise unblemished career, Crowley paid tribute to his horse of a lifetime, who earned £2,691,962 in prize-money and retires to stud as a six-time Group 1 winner.

"It's been unbelievable; he's a very special horse," said Crowley. "It's sad that he hasn't finished his career unbeaten because we've come so far. For me, today, it was sad because that kick wasn't there.

"He's captured the imagination and I'm sorry for everyone we couldn't do it today, but he's still a special horse."

Baaeed's defeat in the £1.3 million Qipco Champion Stakes is likely to have handed the trainers' title to Charlie Appleby, who extended his lead to £365,088 courtesy of Adayar's second place.

Appleby carried a £66,332 lead into the richest day of the Flat season and a third in the Champions Sprint with Creative Force and seconds in the Queen Elizabeth II and Champion Stakes with Modern Games and Adayar resulted in the defending champion adding over half a million pounds to his prize-money total, stretching out to a near unassailable lead.

Appleby has now scooped £5,959,450 in win and place prize-money, which puts him £365,088 ahead of Haggas, with John and Thady Gosden, who were victorious with Emily Upjohn, a further £717,305 adrift.

Although the trainers' championship does not finish until December 31, the Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes - worth £118,400 to the winner - is the only Group 1 remaining in the Flat calendar and Haggas does not have a two-year-old entered in the race.

The crowd at Ascot was 23,872, down from 25,324 last year and 29,029 in 2019.

Champions Day:

'It was ground, simple as that' - Baaeed's unbeaten record ended by Bay Bridge

Where did it go wrong for Baaeed as his sublime career ends in defeat?

'It's a funny old game' - 33-1 Bayside Boy strikes as Inspiral blows the start

'I'm not retiring!' - Dettori doubles up after emphatic Emily Upjohn Ascot win

'It was a proper battle' - Trueshan holds on to complete Champions Day hat-trick

Ascot erupts as Frankie Dettori and Kinross cruise home in Champions Sprint

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