William Buick is under no illusions about the task ahead of Adayar as he prepares for a tantalizing clash with the brilliant Baaeed in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot.
Winner of last year’s Derby at Epsom and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II stakes at Ascot, Charlie Appleby’s Adayar missed much of the ongoing campaign but looked as good as ever slamming two admittedly inferior rivals on his late reappearance at Doncaster last month.
The four-year-old will have a lot more to do next Saturday, of course, with Baaeed, trained by William Haggas, sealing an unbeaten career before retiring to stud.
Buick – who will be officially crowned champion jockey for the first time that same afternoon – hopes Adayar can at least give the current flat racing superstar a run for his money.
He said: “Doncaster was perfect for Adayar as a return. He did everything right and he’s a bit of a forgotten horse this year, but he was very good last year.
“It’s a tough task (to face Baaeed) but he’s a Derby and King George winner and then he ran well in the Arc on ground he didn’t like and things didn’t work out. didn’t really go his way, then the Champion Stakes probably came shortly after.
“I would say he’s the best horse Baaeed has taken and he’s going to have a great race.”
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Buick has chased Baaeed a few times this season, perhaps finishing second behind him aboard Modern Games in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.
When asked how he was going to go about lowering his colors, Buick added, “You have to wait until the fields are out and the draw and everything, and then you sit down and make a plan.
“Obviously Baaeed looks very straightforward and did it every which way from a mile to a mile and a quarter. We have no qualms about the task ahead of us, but it’s a horse race.
The outcome of the Champion Stakes will likely have a huge bearing on which coach is crowned champion, with defending champion Appleby currently holding a relatively slim advantage over Haggas, who is in contention for his first title.
“Charlie was the champion coach last year and it would be great to do it again this year,” Buick said.
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