Local hero The Platinum Queen and global superstar Baaeed both set for top races at York’s Ebor Festival next week

The Platinum Queen appears to remain on course for the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York, with connections “mad keen” to supplement the talented two-year-old for the Group One sprint.
Speed Queen: Malton-trained The Platinum Queen won The British EBF Alice Keppel Fillies' Conditions Stakes in a track record time at Glorious Goodwood last month.
(Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)Speed Queen: Malton-trained The Platinum Queen won The British EBF Alice Keppel Fillies' Conditions Stakes in a track record time at Glorious Goodwood last month.
(Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)
Speed Queen: Malton-trained The Platinum Queen won The British EBF Alice Keppel Fillies' Conditions Stakes in a track record time at Glorious Goodwood last month. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)

The Richard Fahey-trained filly was an impressive winner of the Alice Keppel Fillies’ Conditions Stakes at Goodwood, adding to earlier wins at Ripon and York, with the only blip on the daughter of Cotai Glory’s four-race record an underwhelming display in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The forward-going youngster broke the juvenile five-furlong track record on the Sussex Downs in an exceptional piece of work against the clock which is tempting owners Middleham Park Racing to roll the dice during York’s Ebor Festival.

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“She worked yesterday, which was her last piece of work, and she worked great,” said Middleham Park Racing’s Tim Palin.

Global star: William Haggas' unbeaten Baaeed puts hs record on the line in the £1million Juddmonte International at York next week. Picture: Steven Paston/PA Wire.Global star: William Haggas' unbeaten Baaeed puts hs record on the line in the £1million Juddmonte International at York next week. Picture: Steven Paston/PA Wire.
Global star: William Haggas' unbeaten Baaeed puts hs record on the line in the £1million Juddmonte International at York next week. Picture: Steven Paston/PA Wire.

“So really, it’s now a case of just seeing what conditions are like at the weekend. We’re mad keen to supplement her, but we just need to look at the weather forecast as we wouldn’t want to run her in a slog in a bog if there is plenty of rain forecast.

“I think there’s a little bit of rain forecast, but hopefully not ground changing rain.

“She’d have 8st 2lb in the Nunthorpe and we’ve got Hollie Doyle somewhere between pencilled in and booked. The filly is pencilled in to run in the race and should she line up, it’ll be 8st 2lb with Hollie on board.”

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Baaeed will face a maximum of seven rivals when he puts his unbeaten record on the line in the Juddmonte International at York on Wednesday.

So far this season the four-year-old has dominated his rivals in the Lockinge at Newbury, the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot and the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood – and trainer William Haggas feels the time has come to test the water over a mile and a quarter.

“I think he’ll stay it, no problem. Whether he’s better, I don’t know,” said the Newmarket handler.

“We planned to go to the Juddmonte very early on. A four-year-old miler of his quality, the programme is very straightforward in the early part of the season. It’s Lockinge, Queen Anne, and then the Sussex.”

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“And then it’s sort of do you go for the Moulin or the Jacques le Marois or do you go up in trip? We put him in the Irish Champion Stakes just in case he needed more time between the Sussex and the Juddmonte. And I’m pleased to say everything is on schedule to go next Wednesday.

“He’s had lots of publicity recently. He’s had lots of cameras this week and he takes it in his stride, much better than his trainer!

“He’s got a good temperament. Most of the good ones are a bit tricky. He’s just a nice person to have around.”

Haggas views York as the perfect stage to step up to 10 furlongs, adding: “It feels right to me. You’d think that he can just sit and wait and let it all unfold and then if his turn of foot is there...

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“I think Jim (Crowley) has a lot of confidence in the horse and trusts the horse to quicken. It’s really exciting; it’s strange to talk about it because he just does it and he’s done it every single time.”

Baaeed could joined by two stablemates in Alenquer and Dubai Honour, although their participation is ground dependent.

Haggas said: “Dubai Honour wants slow ground. If it’s good or good to soft he’ll run and so will Alenquer. That’s against Baaeed.”

The two biggest threats to Baaeed appear to be Mishriff, so impressive in winning the Juddmonte International for John and Thady Gosden 12 months ago, and Charlie Appleby’s Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Native Trail, who was last seen finishing a close third - just behind Mishriff - in the Coral-Eclipse.

Aidan O’Brien has confirmed Point Lonsdale and High Definition, while William Knight’s admirable York Stakes winner Sir Busker completes the potential line-up.