PAT HEALY: Pat was at York to witness Baaeed live and he shares his thoughts on what the future holds for the unbeaten surperstar.
Baaeed
It was fantastic to be at York on Wednesday to see Baaeed. Boy, he didn’t disappoint. He’s now got a rating of 135 and he’s the best horse in the world, it’s as simple as that. William Haggis is apparently thinking of looking ahead towards the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, which from an Irish point of view would be absolutely brilliant for the Irish racecourse to see him. I think the way Haggis is thinking, it will fit in nicely ahead of the Ascot Champion Stakes. He got a great reception at York, and it was a great atmosphere, when he went to the front and there was a magnificent cheer from the grandstands. It was just a memorable day.
It’s up to Shadwell whether he goes to the Arc or not and you would have to think that it would be within his capabilities. If they decide to go to the Arc, wouldn’t it be fantastic for racing, that’s probably one you wouldn’t want to miss! It’s hard to believe he’s going to be retiring at the end of the year, after either the Arc or at the Champion Stakes in Ascot, in October, and he’ll have only raced for seventeen months. It’s a bit of a pity that he’s not staying in training as a four-year-old, but it’s the commercial aspect of a horse’s career. He’s made a lot of money and you can’t blame them if they decide to send him off to Stud. But this just shows the difference between the Flat and National Hunt in the longevity of a horse’s career.
Dylan Brown McMonagle
I was in Dundalk on Monday, and young Dylan rode a fine treble. He’s obviously attached to the Joseph O’Brien stable and he’s a young man that is going in the right direction. He’s very much a name to keep my eye on and he’s a great kid, lovely personality and really likeable. We have a lot of good young riders in Ireland at the moment. It’s going to be interesting to watch Dylan’s career unfold, and I have no doubt that his personality and riding ability will see him riding Group One winners before long. He’s ridden 27 winners now for this season which is great and there should be more to come.
