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Paddington stretches streak with Sussex Stakes success at Goodwood

Updated / Wednesday, 2 Aug 2023 22:17
Paddington has taken his heavy schedule brilliantly this season
Paddington has taken his heavy schedule brilliantly this season

Paddington made it a brilliant six from six for the season with a dominant front-running victory in the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

The Siyouni colt has not looked back since making a successful start to his campaign in a handicap at Leopardstown, winning a Listed race at the Curragh, the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the St James's Palace Stakes before successfully stepping up to 10 furlongs in the Coral-Eclipse.

Dropping back to a mile, Aidan O’Brien’s teak-tough three-year-old was the 4-9 favourite to make light of testing conditions and controlled matters from flag-fall in the hands of Ryan Moore.

Three-time Group One-winning filly Inspiral was the first of his challengers to throw down the gauntlet, but her effort was short lived and in the end it was French raider Facteur Cheval who emerged as the biggest threat.

But try as he might, he could never quite get on terms with Paddington, who had matters well in control as he passed the post with a length and a half in hand.

The winner was emulating former Ballydoyle great Giant’s Causeway by completing the St James’s Palace, Coral-Eclipse, Sussex Stakes treble.

The 'Iron Horse', as he was affectionately known, went on to add the Juddmonte International at York to his CV 23 years ago.

O’Brien said: He’s a very special horse. We were worried about the ground – even though he’d won on it, it wasn’t in this class of race and Ryan rode him for speed. He was over the moon with him and we’re so lucky to have him.

"I’m so delighted for the lads, he’s a very special horse.

"We’ll do whatever the lads want to do. He’s much quicker than Giant’s Causeway was, he’s tactically quick, but he can quicken as well. 'The Giant' was tactically quick, but he was a grinder after that.

"This horse can really turn it on when you have to, he’s very unique. It will depend on what the lads want to do and we’ll talk to them after a week."

Paddington’s next stop is almost certain to be the Knavesmire on 23 August.

O’Brien added: "He’s unique. It will depend on what the lads want to do and we’ll talk to them after a week, but he’s got a lot of options. He could go to York, he could do anything. But he’s very special, we think.

"With every race, he’s getting heavier, which is very unusual, and he’s getting calm, but he’s getting quick. He’s really trying. He’s three or four kilos heavier today than he was the last day."

Moore was in agreement with O’Brien on Paddington’s special qualities.

He said: "It doesn’t matter whether it’s good ground, soft ground, heavy ground, eight or 10 furlongs he’s a unique horse. Some people say he’s taken us by surprise, but I can assure you he hasn’t because all this year he’s shown he’s a very good horse. He can cope with most things."

Magical Sunset (18-1) finished with some gusto to secure the Whispering Angel Oak Tree Stakes.

Richard Hannon's filly won three times last season, including a Listed success, but could finish only fifth when favourite to make a winning reappearance in the Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury in April.

She had also troubled to fail the judge in four starts since, but bounced right back to the best in deteriorating conditions on the Sussex Downs.

Matilda Picotte cut out much of the running in the seven-furlong Group Three before being swallowed up by the chasing pack, and in the final furlong Breege hit the front.

But Kevin Stott was biding his time in behind aboard Magical Sunset and she picked up well once in the clear to get up and score by three-quarters of length.

Big Evs (9-4JF)proved his surprise Royal Ascot success was no fluke with victory in the Jaeger-Lecoultre Molecomb Stakes.

Narrowly beaten on his debut at Redcar in May, Mick Appleby's juvenile was sent off at 20-1 for the Windsor Castle Stakes but ran out a clear-cut winner.

A smart start here meant he was soon leading the field in the hands of Jason Hart.

Purosangue came at him hard as the post loomed, but Big Evs kept responding to pressure and clung on by a neck.

Kylian appeared outpaced early on, but made late progress to place third and may well have finished closer with a clearer run.

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