IT was perhaps no surprise to find out this week that Baaeed’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe bid had flattered only to deceive.

It is a shame that connections didn’t take the bolder, riskier move, that horses like Dancing Brave, Sea The Stars and Golden Horn did, and enhance their reputation. It was not as if any strong challengers emerged from events at Irish Champions Weekend, Doncaster or ParisLongchamp last weekend. And there is no guarantee that the colt would encounter better ground at Ascot than he might in ParisLongchamp.