Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1)

BAAEED (William Haggas/Jim Crowley) was an overwhelming favourite at 1/6 for the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes which opened Royal Ascot, and he barely turned a hair in confirming Lockinge Stakes form with Real World (Saeed Bin Suroor/Danny Tudhope).

The latter made the running and kept on too well for the others, but although four lengths clear of third-placed Order Of Australia (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore), he was still a length and three-quarters adrift of the easy winner at the line.

This was a first Queen Anne Stakes success for William Haggas, and he won’t have many more straightforward, as Baaeed merely toyed with his rivals having travelled with menace throughout.

When Crowley asked him to quicken before the furlong marker, the response was immediate and while the winner was idle in front, he gave the impression that there was plenty in reserve if required.

Welcoming the brilliant winner back, Haggas said: “He travels well and settles well. That is a really important part if we are going to go further. I will speak to Sheikha Hissa and Angus Gold, but I think we are all quite keen to give it a go and that will be at York. It’s whether we slot Goodwood in, in the meantime. It’s potentially Goodwood next.

“He is obviously a good miler and is bred to get further. I think we’d like to try it and I think it would be remiss of us not to. The easy option is to stay at a mile, but I think we will give it a go. He relaxes really well, and he is good – he’d be more interesting in a July Cup!”

Jim Crowley said: “This horse is a superstar. I’m sure we’ll keep testing him, but I’m pretty sure he’ll keep finding. You wait a lifetime for a horse to come along like this. He’s a pleasure to ride.”

Saeed bin Suroor suggested that Real World would step up in trip, and is considering the Eclipse at Sandown, and possibly another crack at Baaeed in the Juddmonte International at York.