It was almost inevitable that comparisons between Baaeed and Frankel were going to be made once racing’s current star – Baaeed, started his astonishing winning run, but is it fair to compare the two – it’s a tricky one!

The case for Frankel

Frankel was for many the greatest racehorse in history and his flawless 14-races unbeaten career was the catalyst for many horse racing online bets.

His trainer, the late Sir Henry Cecil, who was well qualified to speak about him said:  "I cannot believe in the history of racing that there has ever been a better racehorse".

Frankel’s (140) racing career included 10 Group 1’s, Sea The Stars (136) was unbeaten in eight after his debut defeat and he chalked up 6 Group 1’s and now his offspring Baaeed (135) is up there with the all time greats, taking his tally to 10/10 (6 Group 1’s) after landing the Juddmonte International at York. 

It's the Juddmonte International next week, which means I can showcase what I think, is the best bit of footage ever filmed at a racetrack. 

Frankel breezing past 4 time Group 1 winner, St Nicholas Abbey like he's not even there. Magicpic.twitter.com/Zl1fjEyWoh

— Jay (@TracksideJay) August 12, 2022

In an article written by speed figures expert Simon Rowlands titled “Frankel: The horse who beat the clock as well as his rivals”, Rowlands explained: 

"Frankel's time figures lagged behind his ability, but his 136 peak time figure – achieved in both the 2000 Guineas and the International Stakes – is the best by any horse this century.

"What's more, he is responsible for four of the best six time figures of the century, with this year's efforts in the Lockinge Stakes and Champion Stakes weighing in at 134.

"As with form-based measures, it's not just that Frankel did it: he did it time and again."

The case for Baaeed

It is interesting to note that Baaeed finished his 3-year-old season with a Timeform rating of 130, which was some way behind Frankel (143) at that stage of his career.

You can however cut Baaeed a little bit of slack in that respect as he was a late foal and his trainer William Haggas considered him too immature to race as a juvenile.

Since the inception of the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings in 2004, there have actually been three horses with extraordinary ratings, the third being Baaeed’s father – Sea The Stars who should also rightly figure in this whole “who is the greatest” debate.

Just like Baaeed, Frankel’s stunning performance in the Juddmonte International gave rise to the speculation that he would be entered for the Arc but Khalid Abdulla’s racing manager Lord Grimthorpe pulled the plug on that idea.

🔟 out of 🔟 

🏆 Baaeed wins the Juddmonte International Stakes and is still undefeated! 

😍 What a horse, what a ride!#ITVRacing | #EborFestival | #Baaeed pic.twitter.com/OVu8kmSOXv

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) August 17, 2022

Straight after his York victory Baaeed’s connections appeared adamant that his four-year-old campaign would be a carbon copy of Frankel’s and his last ever race would be in the Champion Stakes, however after much persuasion they appear to be leaning towards an Arc bid – weather permitting!

The deadline to supplement a horse into the Arc is September 28th at a cost of €120,000. If Baaeed was to go to Paris and lift Europe's top middle-distance event, many people would be of the view that Baaeed was ultimately a better “all-rounder” than Frankel.

However, I’m confident that whatever transpires in the next few weeks, the whole Baaeed versus Frankel debate will rumble on and on for years to come.

If you are fed up with all this Flat chat and yearning for the return of the Jumps season proper then please check out our current Grand National betting.

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to Steve Mullington*

FIRST PUBLISHED: 5th September 2022

If Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was offered a third-place finish in the top-flight this season, he would very likely snap the arms off the benefactor, figuratively speaking of course.

To secure Champions League qualification, while most probably finishing above London rivals Tottenham and Chelsea into the bargain, would represent a significant development leap for the Gunners, one that looked possible last term until their unfortunate late collapse.

To put the achievement in context, it would be Arsenal’s first top four finish since 2016 and unquestionably too, it would propel ‘Project Arteta’ to the next meaningful milestone by re-establishing the club among the continent’s elite. 

It's extremely encouraging therefore that the objective already appears to be feasible just a handful of games into the new campaign.

Flying out of the blocks, the North London giants won their opening five games for the first time in 17 years and the manner in which they did so revealed they are a much more rounded proposition this time out to last.

Up front, an exciting and fluid rollcall of attacking talent are balanced in their attributes, with Martin Odegaard clever and forever probing, Gabriel Martinelli thriving as the wild card, while new recruit Gabby Jesus has begun his Arsenal tenure in spectacular fashion.

The Brazilian may not ultimately make it onto our greatest ever strikers list but presently his goals and build-up play are priceless for a side that’s been deprived of an impactful number nine in recent times.  

In the middle, Granit Xhaka is a player reborn, energized in a tweaked role that offers greater freedom to roam, while at the back the partnership of Gabriel and Saliba has the potential to become the club’s finest since their ‘Invincibles’ era.

🗣️ 'They've improved their first 11 the most!'

🤔 Which club has won the transfer window? pic.twitter.com/txzOsoWzP8

— 888sport (@888sport) September 1, 2022

Across the opening weeks, the duo contained opponents to the second-fewest number of shots in the Premier League and if such parsimony can be sustained, that alone will see Arsenal prosper. 

There is also a psychological factor to consider, with a mental fragility for so long a weakness that has led to the Gunners just falling short.

Prior to losing at Old Trafford recently, in a closely fought affair, Arteta’s men had conceded only four from their first five fixtures and it’s highly pertinent that they responded on each occasion within minutes.

There is some resilience now where previously there was doubt. There is steel to go with the silk. 

All of these reasons, and more, explain why Arsenal are short-priced in the online betting to attain a top four spot come May but viewing the Premier League as a whole offers up the suggestion that even bigger rewards are up for grabs in 2022/23. 

This season is unique in being spilt in two by a World Cup in Qatar and it’s very hard to predict how that will affect the title race at the top and relegation concerns at the bottom.

Furthermore, with Liverpool and Chelsea both currently flailing – at least compared to their usual exceptional standards – that leaves a vacuum around Manchester City, one that can be filled by a club who strengthened well over the summer, one that has been well put together over a period of seasons. In short, a club like Arsenal.

According to the latest Premier League title odds, the Gunners are a distant 10/1 to be crowned as champions by this campaign’s end. That seems fair.

To challenge however, to push City for the duration and reach that next meaningful milestone, is well within their means.

Most American football odds lead to the Super Bowl. The Big Game is the culmination of a 17-game NFL regular season and playoffs, a shot at immortality for players and coaches alike. 

It is unquestionably the biggest sporting event in America, dwarfing the revenue and viewing figures of the World Series, Stanley Cup or NBA Finals.

In part, this is due to its single-game nature compared with the series in the other major sports. Also, though, it is a signal of the NFL’s standing in the US, and the sheer spectacle of Super Bowl Sunday.

NFL bets are placed on the Super Bowl months in advance, but that is not enough to get close to being the biggest event in sport. Around 100 million tune into the Super Bowl in America, with around 50 million others switching on from other countries.

In contrast, north of one billion people saw at least some of the 2018 FIFA World Cup final. Over 300 million saw England against Italy in the Euro 2020 final. Champions League finals often get near the 400 million mark.

While becoming a Super Bowl winner cements a legacy, particularly for a quarterback, the NFL has not broken into the worldwide market sufficiently for the finale to be considered the biggest event in all of sport.

The growth over the last decade or so is meaningful, of course, with more games being played abroad and the possibility of a franchise in London being suggested with increased frequency.

NFL Sundays, @SkySportsNFL. 

You already know, it starts at 6pm! 

Normality will resume shortly! pic.twitter.com/gRmJxDRpLh

— NFL UK (@NFLUK) September 2, 2022

It is easy to get lost in the NFL London extravaganza, though. The NFL has blossomed in the UK, but it’s interest across the rest of the world is minimal even compared to MLB, the NBA and NHL.

Football, whether the Champions League, World Cup, Euros or Premier League, is light years clear of the NFL.

There are significant fan bases for Premier League teams on every continent. As it stands, the NFL is very much an American obsession with a healthy sprinkling of UK support.

The Super Bowl is still a massive event. While the football can sometimes be pushed off centre stage (literally, at half-time), by celebrity performances and high-budget adverts, that is all part of the Super Bowl experience.

It is an event in the truest sense, a day for NFL lovers and casuals to enjoy. You don’t have to have grinded through watching the Lions and Jets in Week 12 to enjoy Super Bowl Sunday.

Other annual sporting showpieces are trying to copy parts of the Super Bowl experience with pre-game shows and generating a greater sense of occasion.

The Super Bowl is the best at the extras, and the furore on social media each year is testament to that.

Yet, it is currently a long way from the world’s biggest sporting events, and has a chasm to cross to even enter the conversation alongside soccer’s continental and world finals.