Anmaat offers Champion redemption for Crowley

Nick Robson
October 19, 2024 4:19 pm

After Baaeed’s shock eclipse in 2022, jockey takes solace from surprise Ascot verdict.

Two years on from what Jim Crowley described as “probably the hardest defeat” of his career on Baaeed in the Qipco Champion Stakes, he gained some form of redemption when delivering Anmaat with a blistering turn of foot.

The William Haggas-trained Baaeed was supposed to simply turn up and win, such was his superiority.

Unbeaten through the first 10 races of his career, Baaeed was sent off the 1-4 favourite but on testing ground could finish only fourth.

While Crowley was sporting the same blue and white Shadwell colours, Anmaat hails from the Owen Burrows yard – a trainer who might not have the strength in numbers of some of his contemporaries but has proven time and again that given the ammunition, he is as good as anyone.

ANMAAT! 😲
@shadwell’s star upsets the big two in the Champions Stakes @ascot and is IN the @breederscup! #ChampionsDay #BC24 is

pic.twitter.com/hL1ERBep2e
— World Horse Racing (@WHR) October 19, 2024

Anmaat is now six but injury has restricted him to just 15 races, and his most recent in France was the first time he had finished outside the first three.

Because of that he was sent off an unconsidered 40-1 shot and when Crowley had nowhere to go with just over a furlong to run, his chance looked all but gone.

However, he found a gap and Anmaat quickened up incredibly well given the testing ground to beat the 6-4 favourite Calandagan by half a length.

Jim Crowley punches the air as Anmaat crosses the line (Nigel French/PA)

“I don’t think any horse in the race could have done what he has done,” enthused Crowley.

“I’m not being biased, but the only horse I have had do that with me before is Mohaather in the Sussex Stakes. It was the same sort of feeling and to pick up on that ground was unreal.

“It’s a small bit of redemption for Baaeed and that is probably the hardest defeat I have ever had in my life, it really hit me. To come back and win the Champion Stakes on this horse is fantastic.

“We had a great position throughout and through no one’s fault, the horses in front of me just stopped and I was just stuck. He would have been a very unlucky loser and it was an extraordinary performance.

“I don’t think it was anyone’s fault where we were, he had taken me well into the race. It was extraordinary to get that gap at that late stage of the race and it was great.”