Aidan O’Brien saddled a record-breaking twelfth Irish 2000 Guineas winner as Paddington (3/1) continued his ascendancy with Classic success at the Curragh
The Aidan O'Brien-trained runner began his season with a comfortable handicap victory off an opening mark of 97 before taking a step forward with success in the Listed Tetrarch Stakes over today's 2000 Guineas course and distance.
Ryan Moore looked firmly set on securing a prominent position and although Paddington was a step slowly into stride the pair soon found themselves handily placed. Oisin Murphy made his intentions clear and took up the running from an early stage under English 2000 Guineas runner-up Hi Royal. Oisin Murphy looked to have something saved up his sleeve approaching the two-furlong marker, but Paddington soon bared down and lengthened away in commanding style under Ryan Moore for a convincing two-length success in Ireland's first Classic of the season.
The stewards were called to have a look at the closing stages as the winner seemingly leaned slightly towards Hi Royal, but Paddington was always sufficiently clear.
Paddington's stablemate Cairo (14/1) stayed on well to grab second to ensure it was a one-two for the Ballydoyle team, who were winning their first Irish 2000 Guineas since Churchill claimed success back in 2017. Hi Royal stuck to his task well to finish a further three-quarters of a length back in third.
The Paul and Oliver Cole-trained Royal Scotsman was well-backed just before the off but the 6/4 favourite never looked like getting involved and finished a disappointing ninth.
Trainer Aidan O'Brien said: "We went to Ascot first time [at two] with him and he was very babyish. Then he came back and won a maiden very easily here with Seamus [Heffernan]. He wintered very well, and we were very happy with him in the spring. He ended up in the Madrid [Handicap] on a lovely mark, it was a lovely place to start him as it was over seven furlongs, even though the ground was soft."
"Then he came back here and won the Tetrarch in soft ground again, so we weren't really sure about the ground with him. Obviously, he's a Siyouni out of a Montjeu mare. He was always a beautiful mover, but you are never sure until they do it."
"Seamus loved him the last day and he had been doing everything really nice since. He's a fine, big horse and is maturing very well. He's very good-looking. He was a little bit slow away, but Ryan got his position very quickly on him and he didn't light him up to do it. He's a very exciting horse."
When asked about the St James' Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. O'Brien added: "What we always do is we go home and give them a week or 10 days and then the lads discuss it with Ryan and everyone else before deciding where they would like to go. That looks like the natural progression for him though, because he doesn't look short of speed, even though he will get further in time."
"Ryan [Moore] went out with the mindset that he'd ride his own horse and it didn't matter where anyone else was going to be, he was going to be happy to make the running or do whatever.
"He had great confidence in him but that split-second decision when he made that move very quickly to have that position, without lighting up the horse, made all the difference.
"He travelled like a dream and when he asked him, he did quicken, but he's still a little bit of a baby and he probably would have learned a lot today quickening on that ground."
Paddy Power went 5/2 for Paddington to claim the St James' Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot with Newmarket's 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean remaining unchanged at the head of the mark.
