Baaeed is rated the best horse in the world. I don't know about the world but I agree that in Europe he has put up the best performance of the season when winning the Lockinge. However the mile division is notably weak, and the figure he put up was no better than what is usually achieved by the best middle distance horses in most seasons. His reputation has snowballed due to him remaining unbeaten rather than any spectacular performance.

Regarding pricing up the event, I find it a difficult race to price up in the usual fashion as I have doubts about the best 3 runners. I don't know if Baaeed can produce 4 peak speed figures on the spin. True, he has won all his races pretty comfortably, but I've seen loads of horses do the same and still fail to keep running to the same level. Look how Golden Horn performed in this race a few years ago. Maybe Baaeed is different, but I'm a percentage player rather than betting on possible exceptions. I think his level will drop somewhat today, but whether it'll be enough to be beaten by today's opponents is impossible to say.

I think Mishriff is a slightly better horse overall. A peak Mishriff beats a peak Baaeed, but that's based on Mishriff last season and even though a repeat win has been his main target there has to be a major doubt looking at the level he's been running to this year. Native Trail is a horse that, in my view, needs to find his earlier Guineas form, much in the same way Rodrigo De Triano did in this race many years ago. So even though I think Baaeed is vulnerable and too short, given the doubts about his main opposition, I'd rather play a big price than lay him for a smaller profit. As Sandown says, there might even be a surprise result, but Baaeed will need to regress well over a stone for the others to figure.

RP saying 12 of 19 odds-on shots beaten in this race

I think Mishriff is a slightly better horse overall. A peak Mishriff beats a peak Baaeed

Very debatable figgis. When horses run at the same distance I agree but I think this horses figure has been hiding behind the fact he’s been running over a mile and he’ll step forward for the step up. I agree with some who say he is a little like his sire, who never won to far but always travelled into a race. We will see today. Mishriff has become a disappointing horse, yes he could come back but without headgear I see a similar outcome, although I’ve always thought he is a better horse this way round although last years king George says otherwise. I haven’t rated any horses particularly highly from the eclipse, although I do think the winner is very good.

I’ve just played a little on the forecast with high definition and a little in the place markets although he needs to step up himself

Brilliant - unlikely to be a better performance since season by some margin.

10/10,a PROPER GP1 horse.

Had a phone call just before the off to tell me my sisters operation to remove a tumor from her brain was successful.  Then Baaeed puts in a magical performance.  Good to be alive.

Brandy really pleased to here that, hope She is ok pal

She’s as tough as it gets, hopefully be ok

proximity of Sir Busker is problematic - it quite often happens that very long shots can run into a place in a very fast run race by waiting out the back and effectively running a more even pace than some of the others.

as suspected Native Trail didn't stay and like Coroebus could well have plateaued with his G1 winning days behind him.

Mishriff's performance would have been good enough to win this race most years.

Will see how the times stack up

Times today were slow - but the International was closer to standard than the 5f sprints and much closer than the Voltigeur. Looked like a very good time to me.

In retrospect Sir Busker was a great price - C&D winner last time out in a G2. He and Dubai Honour ran almost the same race to a pound.

Sometimes these things are so obvious - but only afterwards

That’s where I’m at penzance. Mishriff was unlucky really, almost had to make his own running which isn’t ideal for him. Still can’t really have him being the same as he was. Just nice to see a real top notcher as they are hard to come by these days. It just showed though for me anyway that he really was crying out for distance. It’s a shame he will highly unlikely aim at the arc as the race needs him tbh

Can't agree about Mishriff making his own running - he had a lead horse for all but the last 2f. Problem for him was there was a better horse than him in the race.

There was a possible doubt  about trying a new trip. It's clear that far from being a problem it was a positive as Baaeed improved for the extra 2 furlongs. I still believe that prior to the race it was right to be cautious about that although the trainer was really confident. Happy to see a great performance without getting involved.138 RPR looks right (a new PB of +7 )

A triangle of choice

he should go for the irish champion stakes and english champion and finally breeders cup mile..........i suspect connections will bore the pants off us and have only one more run - the english champion stakes and then stud...........great horse but it would have been great to see sea the stars, frnakel and baeed go to america and let the americans see our legends.........dancing brave and montjeu both failed there but i dont think these trio would.

There is little point in giving consideration to an Arc run or anywhere else other than Ascot for that matter. The owner and trainer have planned this horses route very early on and it looks set in stone. In any event, stepping up to 12f in the autumn is an entirely different event where stamina is at least as important as speed. Horses for courses can mean more than just location. He would almost certainly have to be let down and brought back up, given a 12f prep,  which given the time frame would be quite a challenge.

It has been said that the planning t0 win the Epsom Derby starts 12 months before Epsom. The planning to win an Arc certainly starts in the Spring. The Arc is never won as an after-thought. Dancing Brave won the Arc and was sent to a different time zone to win a Breeders cup as an after-thought (?) and bombed. Re-hydration problem according to Harwood in a recent interview. Whatever the public wants will be and should be ignored and rightly so.

The planning to win an Arc certainly starts in the Spring. The Arc is never won as an after-thought

it would not be an afterthought - they plan to get him race-fit for a middle-distance race in October - it would just be the Arc rather than the Champion Stakes. Seriously doubt that the training regime would be any different

timing of the Arc would probably be better - 3 weeks less of a gap between races. Shadwell's Sakhee went from the International to the Arc and romped home at Longchamp

Cecil never entertained the Arc thought for Frankel so why should Haggis?

Sakhee was just beaten in the Derby by Sinndar and had several runs over 10f to acclimatise to 12f, not 9 runs over 8f and 1 over 10f beforehand. Apart from both appearing at York and owned by Shadwell  I don't see the comparison.