Flat season re-cap | Timeform's top milers of 2022, including Baaeed and Coroebus

Baaeed (134) 4yo c Sea The Stars - Aghareed

Baaeed recorded his career-best effort (137) when stepped up in trip for a most impressive win in the Juddmonte International at York before suffering his first defeat on his final start in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.

But before his attentions were switched to longer trips later in the year, he began his campaign with three more Group 1 victories which confirmed his status as a top-class miler and the best in that division in Europe having ended 2021 by defeating reigning top miler Palace Pier in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

With Palace Pier retired to stud, Baaeed had straightforward tasks against the older milers still in training, running out a convincing winner of the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury and following up against a small field in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, both times chased home by Godolphin’s high-class gelding Real World.

In the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, Baaeed faced some younger rivals for the first time, with subsequent Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Modern Games getting closest to him, but again he accomplished the task in good style without being put to his best. William Haggas

Coroebus (127) 3yo c Dubawi – First Victory

Coroebus headed a trio of Godolphin colts who dominated Europe’s major 2000 Guineas in the spring. Having achieved less at two than unbeaten stablemate Native Trail and, unlike that colt, lacking the benefit of a prep run, Coroebus was his stable’s apparent second string in the 2000 Guineas but had plenty of scope for improvement at three and showed a good turn of foot to outpoint Native Trail for a three-quarter length victory.

Coroebus was his stable’s sole runner in the St James’s Palace Stakes and he duly landed the odds but only narrowly emerged on top in a blanket finish to a messy race, beating the Guineas sixth Lusail by a head while others encountered traffic problems.

After having to miss a clash with Baaeed in the Sussex Stakes due to an abscess, Coroebus was sent off favourite for his final two starts in France but underperformed when only fifth to Coronation Stakes winner Inspiral in the Prix Jacques Le Marois and then sadly suffered a fatal injury just as he was starting to deliver a challenge in the Prix du Moulin. Charlie Appleby

Alflaila (125) 3yo c Dark Angel – Adhwaa

Alflaila had shown no more than useful form at two, making a winning debut but beaten in his five remaining starts, including when only sixth to Coroebus in the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket on his final outing that season (replay below).

But he showed plenty of improvement to win a handicap at Ascot over seven furlongs on his return at three and fared better still when completing a hat-trick in the second half of the year. Soon back to form when second in a listed race at Newmarket after finishing down the field in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, Alflaila showed a sharp turn of foot to return to winning ways when beating older rivals in a listed race at Pontefract in July.

He ended the season with a couple of Group 3 wins over nine furlongs, firstly in the Strensall Stakes at York and then in the Darley Stakes at Newmarket. It was a high-class effort from Alflaila to beat fellow three-year-old Ottoman Fleet in the Darley, as the pair pulled clear of the rest, but Alflaila was denied a crack at a bigger prize late in the year when sustaining a fetlock injury whilst preparing for a valuable contest in Bahrain. Owen Burrows

Native Trail (125) 3yo c Oasis Dream - Needleleaf

Native Trail was champion two-year-old in an unbeaten juvenile campaign which had ended with wins in the National Stakes and Dewhurst Stakes and when he returned with a clear-cut win in the Craven Stakes it ensured he was sent off 5/4 favourite for the 2000 Guineas.

He ran well but met with his first defeat, having no answer to the turn of foot shown by stablemate Coroebus and going down by three quarters of a length. The following month’s Irish 2000 Guineas proved a much easier task for Native Trail who duly landed the odds without needing to show the same form whilst shaping as though he’d stay further.

Native Trail was duly stepped up in trip for his last couple of starts, running close to his best when a close third in the Eclipse but turning in the first below-par run of his career when only fifth of six to Baaeed in the Juddmonte International. Charlie Appleby

Real World (125) 5yo g Dark Angel - Nafura

Godolphin gelding Real World was the closest Baaeed got to having a worthy rival among the older milers in the first part of the season though in truth he made little impression on him in either the Lockinge Stakes or the Queen Anne.

Beaten over three lengths behind him at Newbury, Real World closed the gap to less than two lengths at Royal Ascot but posed little threat there either when again sent off second favourite.

Having ended 2021 with a four-timer, taking him from a Hunt Cup win at Royal Ascot to a Group 2 victory in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein at Longchamp, Real World picked up where he left off by putting some smart rivals in their place in the Group 2 Zabeel Mile at Meydan early the following year. It took a return to turf back in Europe for Real World to show his best form again after finishing well beaten in the Saudi Cup and Dubai World Cup.

However, Real World has been well beaten on turf in his two starts in Dubai this year, reportedly finishing lame in the Dubai Turf last time. Saeed bin Suroor

More from Sporting Life

• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org