Baaeed remains unbeatable
The colt made it seven wins from seven in an impressive triumph at the Lockinge Stakes.
Former Prime Minister David Cameron was in attendance for Saturday's racing at Newbury, but there'll be no need for a referendum on the pace and talent of Baaeed after he stormed to success in the showpiece Lockinge Stakes.
With the sunshine beating down and Prosecco corks popping, attention turned to the fourth official race of the afternoon, the much anticipated Lockinge Stakes.
Baaeed, the clear favourite, set off on his first outing of the season and settled in behind Richard Hannon's Chindit.
Despite spirited resistance from Real World, the colt showed an impressive turn of foot to win comfortably by three-and-a-quarter lengths.
Winning jockey Jim Crowley was quick to heap praise on the unbeaten four-year-old.
"He is an absolute pleasure to ride and very starightforward. He is the most beautifully bred horse. He is everything you want in a racehorse."
"He doesn't appear to have any weaknesses. He is really bright, has gears, relaxes and stays the mile extremely well and has got a turn of foot."
Trainer William Haggas, meanwhile, was a mixture of delight and relief.
"I have to say, I have never been more nervous before a race than I was today. There was a bit of pressure but he did it nicely today."
Next up for Baaeed is the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot next month.
Later in the summer Haggas looks set to see if Baaeed can step up in distance to a mile-and-a-quarter at the Juddmonte International Stakes at York.
There's more than one reason for Haggas to be delighted. He's set to become a grandfather, which, he says, is "much more important!"
The rest of the field will doubtless be looking to plot a Group One course that avoids future encounters with Baaeed.
That includes Kingsclere-based Andrew Balding's Alcohol Free. Last year's Sussex Stakes champion finished fourth on her second run of the season.
As Baaeed's grooms cooled him down with buckets and hoses, Haggas was quick to throw water on the idea that Baaeed was the world's best horse.
"I would not go as far as to say he is the best horse in the world - that is the sort of thing others might say - but he has done very well."
One thing is for sure. Baaeed has laid down another formidable marker, and it remains to be seen if anyone can stop him.