Join

Baaeed ‘a great horse’, says Willie Carson

By Racing TV

Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023

Dayjur was arguably the fastest horse anyone ever rode, according to Hall of Fame jockey Willie Carson.

Of all the top horses he partnered in a riding career that spanned over 35 years, he says none came remotely close to the crack sprinter in terms of speed and any comparisons to Baaeed – who signed off his 11-race career with a brave defeat when fourth to Bay Bridge in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday – are nonsensical.

Carson helped make famous the royal blue and white silks of the late Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s Shadwell operation when partnering the likes of Classic winners Nashwan, Salsabil and Erhaab to success.

Yet he admits that no horse was quicker than Dayjur, trained by the late Major Dick Hern.

Five-time champion Carson, officially inducted to the British Flat Racing Hall of Fame in a ceremony at the Berkshire track, was an interested bystander as he watched Jim Crowley, wearing the same silks, gallantly fail to steer Baaeed to what would have been a seventh consecutive Group One success in the Qipco Champion Stakes.

“Baaeed is a great horse. You can’t take anything away from him. It’s racing. Defeats happen, but it is unfortunate,” said Carson.

Eighty next month, the Scot insisted that Baaeed could not match Dayjur for pace, as he was unstoppable on his day.

Victorious in the King’s Stand, Nunthorpe, Haydock Sprint Cup and Prix de l’Abbaye, Dayjur won seven of his 11 career starts.

Yet, like Baaeed, he will always be remembered for the race he did not win, his swansong in the 1990 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Belmont Park, where he overcame a wide draw and looked set to score, only to fly-jump a shadow near the line and the line itself, before going down a neck to Safely Kept.

Carson still believes there was no quicker horse.

“Baaeed can’t be compared to Dayjur, as they ran over different distances,” said Carson.

“Dayjur was the fastest horse I ever rode and I believe he was the fastest horse anybody ever rode – he was a machine, an absolute machine.

“He was not just a good horse, but a machine. His best trip was five furlongs, although he won over six.

“We did run him over six because of his class, but over five he was unbeatable.”

He added: “I remember the day he won the King’s Stand at Ascot (1990). It was pouring with rain and Dick Hern was worried and he asked me if we should run.

“I said it was not for me to say either way, and so he went to Hamdan and went with the idea of taking him out, but Hamdan said, ‘run, run’. That was proper soft ground, a lot of rain on racing ground.

“It wasn’t ideal for him, but it didn’t seem to make much difference. He was too good for them and won easily (by two and a half lengths). He was some horse, possibly the quickest horse there has ever been.”

Racing TV

9.3K Videos
221.0K Subscribers
192.6M Views

RACING TV is the home of British and Irish racing, showcasing live and exclusive horse racing action from 61 of the very best racecourses in the UK and Ireland in stunning HD. Our dedicated horse racing channel was set up in 2004 by our racecourse shareholders and is dedicated to broadcasting more than 800 live race meetings a year with commentary, debate and tipping from 35 of the UK's top racecourses and all 26 Irish racecourses. All Racing TV profits are returned to its racecourse shareholders to support the sport. Racing TV goes out to over 65,000 commercial and residential subscribers. Tune in by going to Sky 424 (UK, NI, ROI), Virgin Media 536 (UK, NI), 411 (ROI). You can also watch Racing TV at racingtv.com and on the iPhone/iPad app, Android app and mobile-optimised website. Find out more about the Racing TV large screen app at www.racingtv.com/largescreenapp Followers must be 18+ and please gamble responsibly: gambleaware.org