Oisin Murphy: 'Baaeed could be the next Frankel - he's an absolute machine'

Victory for Baaeed in the Queen Anne Stakes brought inevitable talk of early comparisons with the great Frankel, ten years on from his own wide-margin success in the Royal Ascot opener.

Frankel won the Group 1 event by 11 lengths before going on to win the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and Juddmonte International at York and Baaeed could well follow the same route this campaign.

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy described Baaeed's length and three-quarter victory over Real World as "like a piece of work" for the world's top-rated horse on turf, while Richard Hughes, who won the Queen Anne three times in the saddle, likened the Shadwell star to Sea The Stars but believed it "wasn't the strongest field ever". The 1-6 favourite justified the joint-second shortest price at Royal Ascot since 1988.

Baaeed: unbeaten miler justified odds of 1-6 in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal AscotCredit: Alex Livesey (Getty Images)

Murphy, who is a pundit for Sky Sports Racing at Royal Ascot this week and banned from race-riding until February next year due to Covid and alcohol breaches, said: "Baaeed had the perfect trip throughout and Jim [Crowley] pressed the button plenty early as they must feel he will stay a bit further. It was a procession and it was a fantastic result – it's nice to see superstar horses go unbeaten.

"It was like a piece of work for Baaeed and Jim is a very good rider – it was a simple race for him. Baaeed could be the next Frankel – if he steps up to a mile and a quarter for the Juddmonte International then we would be talking about a similar racing routine to what Frankel had. Baaeed is an absolute machine."

Hughes has a better gauge than most on the legendary Frankel having finished second to the Sir Henry Cecil-trained star on Dubawi Gold in a memorable 2,000 Guineas in 2011 and on Canford Cliffs in the Sussex Stakes that season.

Asked about the Baaeed-Frankel comparison, Hughes said: "Frankel is the best we've ever seen. No horse will do again what he did in the Guineas – he was exuberant that day and at his best."

Frankel: easy winner of the Queen Anne Stakes in 2012Credit: Edward Whitaker

Hughes, who won the Queen Anne on Paco Boy in 2009, Canford Cliffs in 2011 and Toronado in 2014, added: "Baaeed couldn't have done it any easier and there's a little bit of Sea The Stars in him the way he just does enough.

"I think he'll be better when he steps up to a mile and a quarter and he'll be able to use that turn of foot – it would be good to see him in the Juddmonte. You can't take away what he's done but this wasn't the strongest field ever and more questions will be asked of him going forward."

Johnny Murtagh won the Queen Anne on No Excuse Needed in 2002 and Hardasun in 2008 and expects Baaeed to face much stiffer tasks this campaign.

Murtagh, who featured on ITV's coverage on day one, said: "It was a good performance but there will be tougher days ahead for this guy. Today's race was a gimme and he'll face much tougher opposition when he steps up in trip.

"He didn't get a tap behind the saddle and maybe Jim [Crowley] was looking after him for bigger days ahead. It might just be he's half like Sea The Stars in that he pulls up when he gets to the front.

"The older generation milers are fair but he's going to have to step up against the three-year-olds, including the winner of the St James's Palace, or in the Juddmonte International at York if going over a mile and a quarter."

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