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Paddington runs rivals bare

Aidan O'Brien became the winning-most trainer at Royal Ascot this afternoon with Paddington's hugely impressive display in the St James's Palace Stakes bringing up a remarkable 83rd victory at the Royal meeting.

PADDINGTON winning the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot in England.
PADDINGTON winning the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot in England. Picture: Pat Healy Photography

It was doubles all round for connections at Royal Ascot on Tuesday afternoon as Paddington (11/5) bared down on his rivals to back up River Tiber's earlier Coventry Stakes success.

The vastly-improving son of Siyouni continues to go from strength-to-strength having kicked off his three-year-old campaign with victory in handicap company off a mark of 95 at the Curragh back in March. A smooth success in the Listed Tetrarch Stakes set up a tilt at the Irish 2000 Guineas where once again Aidan O'Brien's runner would pass the test with flying colours by running out a comfortable two-length winner.

English, Irish and French 2000 Guineas form looked to be put to the test in the three-year-old miler's feature. However, there was seemingly little test for Paddington, who showed a sparkling turn of foot to stretch his winning run to five with a sensational second Group 1 victory.

Plenty of jockeys were keen to get a prominent position in the early stages with Frankie Dettori urging the 6/4 market leader, Chaldean, into the lead soon after the gates opened. Kevin Stott was eager to secure a forward pitch on Craven Stakes winner Indestructible while Ryan Moore was more than content to sit off the leaders towards the outside of the field.

Frankie Dettori was seemingly allowed to dictate his own fractions out in front as he looked to slip to field on 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean entering the home straight. However, it soon became apparent the move was covered by Ryan Moore as he and Paddington loomed upsides the long-time leader entering the final two furlongs.

The Siyouni colt soon opened up in impressive fashion and pulled away for what could only be described as a taking three-and-three-quarter-length success. Chaldean clung on bravely to fill the runner-up spot with Roger Varian's Charyn (33/1) keeping on from the rear of the field to finish back in third.

It was a ninth success in the prestigious mile contest for trainer Aidan O'Brien who said: "Paddington is very exciting. John [Magnier] said to me that this horse would get further than a mile if you wanted him to, no problem. Ryan gave him a lovely ride – I thought he was excellent on him.

"Obviously, when Frankie is in front, it is always very dangerous, but Ryan gave him a masterful ride. He didn't panic, produced him and he quickened. He is able to quicken very well – that is the big thing and what makes good horses great.

"The lads will have to think about whether they want to go to Goodwood for the Sussex Stakes. We will tell them after 10 days how he is, and then they will decide between themselves what they want to do. But he has all the options, because he has the speed to be a top miler, like we see, so it's very exciting."

Discussing Paddington's unusual route to the top level, O'Brien said: "What we try in the spring is to get the horses out, and most of them are too high to be in a handicap, and we go the route we can start them at and try to start as low as we can.

"The Madrid Handicap in Ireland is always a good race, like the [discontinued] Free Handicap here, if you can get into it. He won his maiden nice, but it mustn't have been a brilliant maiden, and then he obviously got a nice mark. He didn't win bolting on the bridle or anything, he won nicely without being over-impressive."

Moore said: "Paddington has a lot of class. He stepped well and then two of the boys kicked on and I lost my cover going into the bend. I didn't want Frankie going on, but maybe I should have been a bit cold and ridden him from further back.

"He took me there quite easy and, when he put his foot down, he found plenty. He's a very good colt who is improving and improving. He's a proper horse – very straightforward – and he put them away very easily. I am very happy with him."

Trainer Andrew Balding said: "He was beaten by a very good horse. Frankie has just felt he probably just overdid it a little early, but I'm not sure whether that would have made a difference to the result. Two very high-class horses."

Frankie Dettori added: "Chaldean is a super horse. He found one too good today, but he was a good second. It was a solid run."

The victory launched Paddington to the head of the Sussex Stakes market at Goodwood with Paddy Power making the impressive son of Siyouni 2/1 market leader.


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