Connections of the 2,000 Guineas winner Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) could bid to turn the tables on Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G1 Sussex S. at Goodwood after suffering a comprehensive defeat to Aidan O'Brien's Irish 2,000 Guineas winner in the St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot last week.
Frankie Dettori attempted to make all the running aboard Andrew Balding's Juddmonte-owned colt, who had no answer when Paddington swooped by early in the straight at Ascot, but those associated with the colt are far from downbeat after the performance.
Juddmonte's Barry Mahon said, “He ran a great race, to be fair. The winner is obviously a very good horse who is improving quickly and we were happy with our lad.
“We would have probably liked a lead. The early pace was pretty frenetic, I think Frankie just felt he couldn't get a breather into him the whole way and it just cost him when he turned in. All told, it was a nice run and we look forward to taking on the winner again some day.”
O'Brien nominated the Sussex as a potential target for Paddington in the immediate aftermath of his Ascot triumph and Mahon also views the Group One contest as the obvious next port of call for Chaldean.
“That looks the next obvious target,” Mahon said. “Let's see how he bounces out of it, Andrew said to me the next day he was in good shape but I haven't really touched base with him since.
“He's not in the Prix Jean Prat, but that could be an option if Andrew thought it was the right thing to do. He's a top-class horse. I suppose it's more disappointing when you're beaten if you have an unbeaten record, but luckily we were beaten in our maiden and Frankie fell off him in the Greenham at Newbury! We know he's still a nice horse to look forward to for the rest of the year.”
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