Suffering from premature adulation?

A NEW ‘superstar’ horse? You would think so based on the post-race comments before the Prix du Moulin last Sunday as that word was regularly used to descrive Baaeed. But winner of one Group 1 race? Is a stoutly-bred miler capable of injecting a 10.77sec seventh furlong into his win enough evidence? Had not Poetic Flare and Palace Pier done more already this season?

The second and third had only won two of their combined eight previous races this season, none a Group 1.

What do we make of Baaeed? There is progression and substance to his form. Some pundits, who you’d think would know better, were pushing him into ‘as exciting as Frankel, Sea The Stars and Kingman’ territory. Funnily enough, I don’t remember those horses being too hyped until they had actually performed to a high level on the track.

I would much prefer a wait-and-see approach rather than premature hype.

“I’ve done nothing but research cancer. Other than the treatment, diet and lifestyle, the two biggest factors in putting you in the success group – i.e living - are stress and support. You guys have made me Frankel in a Wolverhampton maiden. It’s important to win that maiden” – Johnny Hassett