Crowley hopes for glorious end to Baaeed journey at Ascot

His jockey Jim Crowley told AFP he will be sad when he dismounts for the final time.

There could not be a more apt final stage for Crowley and Baaeed's swansong, as the 44-year-old jockey was born "a stone's throw from the Ascot grandstand".

Crowley says it has been an "enjoyable journey" and compares Baaeed to the horse's father Sea The Stars - the 2009 Epsom Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe champion - and Frankel who won all 14 of his 14 races before bowing out in the 2012 Champion Stakes.

"In some ways I will be sad when he is gone as the chances of finding another like him are remote," Crowley told AFP in a phone interview.

"I have been riding for 20 years and he is the first one I have come across that is up there with Sea The Stars and Frankel.

"He is the only other one up there with them."

It has been a remarkable journey for Crowley too since he took the advice of his father-in-law, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe-winning trainer Guy Harwood, and switched from being a jumps jockey to the flat in 2006.

Crowned champion jockey in 2016, he secured a prestigious contract with Sheikh Hamdan al-Maktoum on the back of it.

Although he says he "does not get wrapped up in emotion" he admits riding Baaeed with an unbeaten record on the line does get to him.

"There is a lot of pressure," he said. "I don't feel it when I am on him, it is the lead-in to the race that is the pressure.

"It is just a journey and so far an enjoyable one. I hope we get the job done on Saturday." 

'The old dog'

Crowley is too experienced a hand to be anticipating a glorious final dismount in the Ascot winner's enclosure.  

"Ascot will be his toughest test," he said.

"He is taking on Adayar, the 2009 Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner, who was fourth in heavy ground last year in the Arc.

"You want to run against those top-class horses. There would be nothing worse than a four-runner Champion Stakes, that would be no competition.

"However, nothing is given in racing, nothing is guaranteed."

Crowley recalled Baaeed's remarkable performance in winning the International Stakes by six and a half lengths in August, but conceded: "Horses are not machines."

Even were Baaeed to win on Saturday it is hard to imagine the reception for the William Haggas-trained superstar will be equal to Frankel's in 2012.

Frankel's story played out to the backdrop of his popular trainer Henry Cecil's battle with cancer - and as the Prince Khalid Abdullah-owned horse did a final victory lap of the parade ring cries of "Our 'Enry" rang out.

Cecil died in July the following year and Sheikh Hamdan too has gone, dying in March last year, but his daughter Sheikha Hissa has taken up the baton.

Crowley says it is unfair to compare Frankel with Baaeed.

"They are very different times," he said. "It is like trying to compare boxers from different eras, Jack Dempsey with a modern one.

"He (Baaeed) has beaten 15 individual Group One winners who have won 30 Group One races between them.

"Sheikh Hamdan would be very proud looking down now. He bred the horse and it is lovely Sheikha Hissa is very involved and very knowledgeable.

"I speak to her after nearly every one of our runners. Her family too are massively involved so it is not just a one-woman band."

Crowley may think that finding another superstar will be tough but he has several years ahead of him to try.  

"There is plenty of life in the old dog yet!" he said. "(Frankie) Dettori has almost 10 years on me."